India and the European Union are seeking to accelerate approval of their bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), targeting a signing ceremony on December 17 or 18 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Brussels, Belgium.

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in New Delhi, the proposed signing would coincide with Modi’s return from the G20 summit in Miami, United States.

The push to expedite the process follows a proposal by the European Commission to the European Council to fast-track approval of the agreement, citing the need to respond more effectively to a volatile global geopolitical environment.

The Commission has proposed completing the legal procedures using the original English text rather than waiting for translations into all 24 official EU languages.

India’s Deputy Commerce Minister, Rajesh Agrawal, is expected to visit Brussels this week to address outstanding procedural issues.

Meanwhile, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is touring Europe, visiting Germany and the Netherlands from October 22 to 27 to advance trade and investment discussions.

During the visit, Goyal highlighted the potential of the agreement to expand market access, strengthen supply chains and create new opportunities for trade and investment.

A delegation from the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by its president, David McAllister, is also scheduled to visit New Delhi from October 26 to 28.

India and the EU announced the conclusion of negotiations on the FTA on January 27, 2026, during a bilateral summit in New Delhi. Both sides described the agreement as a landmark deal that would create one of the world’s largest free trade areas, covering about a quarter of the global population and gross domestic product.

Beyond the FTA, the two sides are also negotiating an Investment Protection Agreement and a Geographical Indications Agreement.

The EU is currently India’s ninth-largest trading partner in goods and sixth-largest in services. Bilateral merchandise trade was projected to reach €118 billion in 2025.

India’s main exports to the EU include machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles, metals and petroleum products. EU exports to India are dominated by industrial goods, including machinery, transport equipment and chemicals.

Trade in services was projected to reach €67 billion in 2025, with EU exports valued at €29.2 billion and imports from India at €37.8 billion.

EU investment in India stood at €132.8 billion at the end of 2024, while Indian investment in the EU totalled €13.7 billion.