<p>New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held talks with European Union's Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and deliberated on the proposed free trade agreement between the two sides.</p>.<p>Sefcovic is in New Delhi to advance negotiations for the long-awaited India-EU trade deal.</p>.<p>The two sides are looking at sealing the free trade agreement at the India-EU summit to be held in New Delhi next week.</p>.World becoming more multi-polar makes compelling case for deeper multilateralism: Jaishankar.<p>"A pleasure to meet European Trade & Economic Security Commissioner @MarosSefcovic in New Delhi today," Jaishankar said on social media.</p>.<p>"Confident that the Commissioner and his team will have productive discussions in India," he said.</p>.<p>Sefcovic said he was "pleased" to meet Jaishankar.</p>.<p>"Continued, steady engagement on both sides remains essential to reinforce momentum and deliver results from our trade and investment talks -- supporting our overall partnership," he said on 'X'.</p>.<p>The proposed India-EU free trade agreement is expected to bring the relationship between the two sides much closer with its positive impact being expected in a range of other sectors as well at a time the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washington's tariff policy.</p>.<p>It is learnt that the two sides have already resolved issues relating to agricultural market access, alcoholic beverages and are even making progress towards convergence on clauses relating to rules of origin.</p>.<p>However, both sides are yet to find "landing zones" on steel, cars and the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tariff on carbon-intensive products such as steel and cement, as well as on certain regulatory mechanisms, sources said.</p>.<p>In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed their commitment to finalise the trade deal by December.</p>.<p>The European Union is India's biggest trade partner with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The FTA is expected to significantly enhance the two-way trade ties. </p>
<p>New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held talks with European Union's Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and deliberated on the proposed free trade agreement between the two sides.</p>.<p>Sefcovic is in New Delhi to advance negotiations for the long-awaited India-EU trade deal.</p>.<p>The two sides are looking at sealing the free trade agreement at the India-EU summit to be held in New Delhi next week.</p>.World becoming more multi-polar makes compelling case for deeper multilateralism: Jaishankar.<p>"A pleasure to meet European Trade & Economic Security Commissioner @MarosSefcovic in New Delhi today," Jaishankar said on social media.</p>.<p>"Confident that the Commissioner and his team will have productive discussions in India," he said.</p>.<p>Sefcovic said he was "pleased" to meet Jaishankar.</p>.<p>"Continued, steady engagement on both sides remains essential to reinforce momentum and deliver results from our trade and investment talks -- supporting our overall partnership," he said on 'X'.</p>.<p>The proposed India-EU free trade agreement is expected to bring the relationship between the two sides much closer with its positive impact being expected in a range of other sectors as well at a time the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washington's tariff policy.</p>.<p>It is learnt that the two sides have already resolved issues relating to agricultural market access, alcoholic beverages and are even making progress towards convergence on clauses relating to rules of origin.</p>.<p>However, both sides are yet to find "landing zones" on steel, cars and the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tariff on carbon-intensive products such as steel and cement, as well as on certain regulatory mechanisms, sources said.</p>.<p>In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed their commitment to finalise the trade deal by December.</p>.<p>The European Union is India's biggest trade partner with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The FTA is expected to significantly enhance the two-way trade ties. </p>