India, EU Free Trade pact by Tuesday

The summit will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa, a day after the two European leaders attend India’s Republic Day celebrations as chief guests.

Alongside the trade announcement, European Commission vice-president Kaja Kallas and defence minister Rajnath Singh are expected to sign an agreement on an India-EU security and defence partnership. EU officials underlined concerns about preventing the leakage of sensitive defence technologies to actors seen as threatening Europe, an apparent reference to Russia.

A Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda for the next five years, containing over 100 commitments, is also expected to be unveiled. The two sides plan to announce a mobility framework benefiting students, researchers and professionals, launch talks on a classified information pact, and discuss supply-chain diversification and connectivity under the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC).

EU officials did not confirm whether agriculture and dairy are excluded from the FTA or whether human rights clauses would be attached, saying talks are still underway to “close in on the deal”. While the pact may be announced next week, formal signing and ratification by the European Parliament could take up to a year.