India-EU announce mega FTA; PM Modi calls it New Delhi's biggest trade deal ever

New Delhi: Colloquially known as the, 'mother of all deals', India and Europe on Tuesday announced that both the sides were sealing an ambitious free trade agreement which will boost economies of India as well as the group of 27 European nations.

This historic deal came against the backdrop of a fractious global environment and trade disruptions largely caused by Washington's policy on tariff.

Today, India has concluded the biggest free trade agreement (FTA) in its history with the European Union, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after holding summit talks with the 27-nation bloc's top leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa.

"This is not just a trade agreement. This is a new blueprint for shared prosperity," Modi said in his media statement.

The two sides also inked a strategic defence partnership pact and a mobility agreement.

The prime minister said India-EU partnership will help the world.

European Council President Costa said India and the EU began a "new chapter" in their relations in sectors such trade, security, and on people-to-people ties.

"Trade agreements reinforce a rules-based economic order and promote shared prosperity. That's why today's free trade agreement is of historic importance. It is one of the most ambitious agreements ever concluded," he said.

"We delivered the mother of all deals," Von der Leyen said.

The long-awaited FTA is set to significantly expand the overall trajectory of two-way engagement as it will open up new opportunity for cooperation in diverse areas.

The EU and India had first launched negotiations for the FTA in 2007, before the talks were suspended in 2013 due to a gap in ambition. The negotiations were relaunched in June 2022.

The EU, as a bloc, is India's largest trading partner in goods.

For the financial year 2024-25, India's total trade in goods with the EU was worth about USD 136 billion, with exports around USD 76 billion and imports at USD 60 billion.

The broad focus of the summit was on trade, defence and security, climate change, critical technologies and strengthening the rules-based global order.

India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004.

The proposed Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) will facilitate deeper defence and security cooperation between the two sides.

(with PTI inputs)