New Delhi— Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday met with members of the Committee on International Trade Affairs (INTA) from the European Parliament to boost India-EU trade and investment relations. The meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on deepening bilateral cooperation and exploring new opportunities for sustainable economic growth.
According to a post by the Ministry of Finance on X, the talks revolved around enhancing trade partnerships and attracting investments to strengthen long-term economic stability between India and the European Union. “Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman met the Committee on International Trade Affairs #INTA from the European Parliament @Europarl_EN, in New Delhi, today. The discussion with the delegation focused on enhancing India-EU trade and investment ties, with both sides looking forward to deeper and mutually beneficial cooperation,” the ministry stated.
The discussion emphasized India’s efforts to diversify its global trade network and reduce dependence on traditional partners. Both sides acknowledged the growing potential for collaboration in technology, manufacturing, and sustainable development.
This meeting followed Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent visit to Brussels from October 26 to 28, where he held “productive and meaningful” discussions with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic and his team. The talks addressed key issues related to the ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a “mutually beneficial, balanced, and equitable trade agreement” that reflects the depth of political trust and strategic partnership between India and the EU while respecting each side’s economic sensitivities and priorities.
India and the EU have set an ambitious target to conclude the long-pending FTA negotiations by the end of 2025, following the directive issued jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the College of Commissioners’ visit to New Delhi in February 2025.
