Carnegie Europe Director Rosa Balfour calls India and EU “like-minded partners” as both sides intensify efforts to finalise a long-pending Free Trade Agreement by year-end.
New Delhi, April 13: Amid a rapidly shifting global trade landscape, the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is witnessing renewed momentum. Rosa Balfour, Director of Carnegie Europe, termed India and the EU as “like-minded partners” and emphasized their shared commitment to WTO rules and multilateral cooperation.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Carnegie Global Tech Summit, Balfour said,
“The EU and India have actually been talking about the Free Trade Agreement for over 20 years… the bar has now been set very high, and they are under pressure to deliver.”
While progress has been notable, Balfour cautioned that the December 2025 deadline—set by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—might be overly optimistic.
Key sticking points, particularly around agricultural protections and environmental standards like climate and deforestation, remain. “The question is whether this will be a deep and inclusive FTA or a thinner agreement that excludes sensitive sectors,” Balfour added.
However, the potential benefits of the FTA are vast, she stressed. From greater mobility and capital exchange to enhanced technological cooperation and a strategic alternative to protectionist trends, the India-EU pact could redefine trade diplomacy in the Indo-European corridor.
In a supporting statement, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Philipp Ackermann, also underlined the urgency of collaboration. “This is a time where those who believe in global and free trade must join hands,” he said during the session ‘Sambhavna: Next is What?’ at the same summit.
The FTA, if completed, is expected to expand India-EU economic ties across sectors like energy, digital infrastructure, green tech, manufacturing, and more, offering a robust counter-narrative to growing trade wars.