Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal concluded a two-day visit to Brussels on Friday (January 9, 2026), marking what the government described as a “decisive step” forward in negotiations for the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
During the visit, Mr. Goyal held a series of high-level meetings with EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič. Both leaders provided strategic guidance to their respective negotiating teams with the aim of resolving pending issues and accelerating progress towards finalising the agreement.
According to an official statement released on Saturday (January 10), the discussions covered key elements of the proposed FTA, including market access for goods, rules of origin and services. “Both sides took note of the steady progress achieved across various negotiating tracks,” the statement said, adding that the Ministerial meetings capped a week of intensive diplomatic and technical engagements in Brussels.
The Ministerial dialogue followed earlier high-level talks between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Sabine Weyand, Director-General for Trade at the European Commission, held on January 6 and 7. These discussions focused on reviewing progress across negotiating areas, narrowing differences and clarifying outstanding issues to pave the way for the Ministerial engagement.
The statement noted that Mr. Goyal’s visit concluded with both sides expressing confidence and renewed determination to achieve the early conclusion of a “modern, comprehensive and mutually beneficial” India–EU FTA.
The visit comes ahead of a key diplomatic moment, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa set to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations as chief guests, followed by the EU–India Summit scheduled to begin in New Delhi on January 27.
