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New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met the delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss ways to maximize convergence and deepen cooperation.
Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and other officials were also present
EAM Jaishankar posted on Twitter after his meeting with the visiting EU delegation, “Delighted to meet the delegation of INTA, the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, in Delhi today. Discussed how India and the EU can maximize convergence and deepen cooperation. This can stabilize the global economy and strengthen democratic forces. An early conclusion of the India-EU FTA can make a big difference to these objectives.”
Earlier, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who was on a visit to Brussels from October 26-28, held productive and fruitful talks with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic on outstanding issues related to the ongoing India-EU FTA negotiations.
“Following the clear direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the College of Commissioners visit to New Delhi in February 2025, both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to conclude the India-EU FTA by the end of 2025,” the official statement said.
The engagement was focused on achieving a mutually beneficial, balanced and equitable trade agreement that reflects the political trust and depth of strategic relations between India and the EU, while respecting each other’s sensitivities and priorities.
The statement further said that India recognizes the importance of ensuring that the FTA remains balanced in removing tariff and non-tariff barriers and creating a transparent and predictable regulatory framework that accelerates trade for both partners in the years to come.
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had telephone conversations with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, reaffirming their shared commitment to the early conclusion of India-EU FTA negotiations and the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The leaders welcomed progress in bilateral relations in key areas such as trade, technology, investment, innovation, sustainability, defence, security and supply chain resilience and PM Modi invited Costa and von der Leyen to visit India for the India-EU summit.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after the phone call said, “As the world’s largest democracies, India and the EU share a strong and close relationship based on trust, shared values and a common vision for the future. The leaders underlined the role of the India-EU Strategic Partnership in jointly addressing global issues, promoting stability and the rules-based order for mutual prosperity.”
–IANS
AKL/AS