PM Modi to Visit Brussels in December to Sign India-EU Free Trade Agreement
European Council President Antonio Costa confirms the proposed visit as India and the EU prepare to formalise a trade pact covering more than two billion people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Brussels in December to formally sign the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (India-EU FTA), European Council President Antonio Costa said on October 30. The agreement is expected to strengthen economic and trade relations between India and the European Union, with provisions covering goods, services and the movement of skilled professionals.
December Visit Expected Ahead of EU Leaders’ Meeting
"Prime Minister Modi will come in December to sign the deal,: Costa said at an event organised by the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations in Canada.
The visit is expected shortly before a meeting of European leaders in Brussels scheduled to begin on December 17. Costa is in Montreal for a two-day EU-Canada summit focused on strengthening ties.
India and the EU concluded negotiations on the trade agreement earlier this year. The pact is projected to create a market covering more than two billion people and accounting for around a quarter of the global economy.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said last week that India's proposed free-trade agreement with the European Union could become operational within four to five months after it is signed.
Prime Minister Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had jointly announced the conclusion of the India-EU FTA during the European leaders' visit to India. The announcement marked a milestone in India-EU economic relations and trade engagement with global partners.
India-EU Trade and Economic Ties
The European Union is one of India's largest trading partners, with bilateral trade in goods and services growing over the years.
In 2024–25, India's bilateral trade in goods with the EU stood at Rs 11.5 lakh crore ($136.54 billion). This included:
- Exports: Rs 6.4 lakh crore ($75.85 billion)
- Imports: Rs 5.1 lakh crore ($60.68 billion)
India-EU trade in services reached Rs 7.2 lakh crore ($83.10 billion) in 2024.
India and the EU are the fourth- and second-largest economies, respectively. Together, they comprise 25 per cent of global GDP and account for one-third of global trade.
Market Access and Services Commitments
The agreement is expected to create trade and investment opportunities by integrating the two large and complementary economies. It is positioned as a comprehensive partnership with strategic dimensions, extending beyond a conventional trade agreement.
India has secured market access for more than 99 per cent of Indian exports by trade value to the EU. The agreement is also expected to support the 'Make in India' initiative.
Alongside goods trade, the pact includes commitments in services and a comprehensive mobility framework intended to facilitate the movement of skilled Indian professionals.
The formal signing in Brussels is expected to mark the next stage in implementing the India-EU trade agreement, following the conclusion of negotiations earlier this year.