India-EU FTA To Be Signed Soon? New EU-India Strategic Roadmap Explained: What's Next?

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00:00India and the European Union have launched the new strategic EU-India agenda this week,

00:06aiming for a transformative partnership built on five pillars. Trade and investment, technology

00:12and innovation, security and defense, connectivity and climate action. The centerpiece of the roadmap

00:20is the push for a comprehensive free trade agreement or FTA, which the EU hopes to finalize

00:29by the end of this year. In 2024, goods trade between India and the EU reached $141 billion,

00:36while services trade added nearly $71 billion, making the EU India's largest trading partner.

00:43The deal goes beyond trade. Brussels and New Delhi are preparing a security of information

00:49agreement focused on collaboration in maritime security, cyber defense and counterterrorism.

00:55Defense Industrial Corporation is set to grow too, with the exchanges of classified material

01:02and joint initiatives to boost production and technological capacity. The roadmap also highlights

01:09joint efforts in green hydrogen, renewable energy, decarbonizing heavy industries and major

01:17infrastructure projects like India, Middle East, Europe Economic Corridor or IMEC connectivity and

01:24climate are front and center with ambitious sustainability benchmarks and innovation partnerships.

01:33Negotiations are going on and negotiators have also acknowledged hurdles. EU high representative flagged

01:40India's participation in Russian military exercises and its purchase of Russian oil as obstacles, saying,

01:48ultimately, our partnership is not only about trade, but also about defending the rules based international

01:55order. Despite these concerns, the direction is clear engagement over isolation. Indian Prime Minister

02:02and Narendra Modi also responded in an optimistic way, delighted to know about the new strategic EU India

02:09agenda adopted today. India is ready to take the India EU relationship to the next level. It is our shared

02:17commitment, shared goal and shared responsibility. We remain committed to an early and peaceful resolution of Ukraine

02:24conflict. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also underscored the significance. She said,

02:32with our new EU India strategy, we are taking our relationship to the next level. She promised the free trade

02:40agreement with India will be the largest deal of its kind anywhere in the world. Other key features of the deal

02:49include reinforcing supply chains, economic security and business engagement via

02:54new forums promoting startups and digital cooperation with India invited to join EU science initiatives like

03:03Horizon Europe and enhancing skill, mobility and people to people exchange for study, research and work

03:10coordinating more closely on multilateral issues with joint engagement on geopolitical stability and reforms to

03:19global governance. The next milestone is the EU India summit in early 2026, where both sides expect to

03:28formally adopt the roadmap and set the agenda for its evolving partnership.