EU Chief Ursula Talks To PM Modi Over FTA, India To Begin Trade Negotiations With EU

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-09-08 09:48:29 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-09 01:43:23

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India and the EU have a huge opportunity to deepen their trade and investment relations with the launch of negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA), according to European Union (EU) Chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a telephone call on Monday, von der Leyen said that the agreement would not only drive economic growth but also be a "game-changer for the broader relationship" between both parties.

The EU chief also expressed concern over the ongoing tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, according to Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who attended the call.

Both sides plan to start negotiating the FTA, as well as an investment agreement, later this year. If the FTA is achieved, it will be the first between the EU and a country in Asia.

"The EU is India's largest trading partner and investor, and a key partner for India's overall development," Shringla said during a press briefing.

All aspects of the wide-ranging cooperation between the two sides will be discussed in the coming months through regular engagements at all levels, added Shringla.

This comes after the EU recently designated India as a "priority country" for its global biodiversity strategy.

The Asian giant is also a key partner in the EU's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework.

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