India-EU FTA Gains Momentum as Legal Scrubbing Speeds Up

The India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has entered its final stage, with both sides pushing to wrap up legal scrubbing quickly so it can be signed and brought into force, possibly later this year.

EU Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin said the momentum around the deal is strong and backed at the highest political levels.

Calling the pact a “very substantial” agreement, Delphin rejected the idea that it is an empty framework. “We are in the process of what we call technically, of the legal scrubbing, and to close the process of before the official signing and the entry into force,” he said, adding that commitment from both sides was clear during recent high-level meetings.

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The India-EU Free Trade Agreement is driven by shared economic priorities, including complementarity between markets, scale, diversification, and de-risking of supply chains. Delphin said the European Commission, EU member states, and Indian leadership are aligned in their intent to conclude the process quickly.

Business communities on both sides are also pushing for early implementation. “The business communities are really bullish about this FTA. It offers so much opportunity... everybody wants to have it in place as soon as possible,” Delphin said, pointing to gains in supply chain integration and worker mobility.

Beyond trade, Delphin highlighted the newly signed Security and Defense Partnership, calling it a political enabler built on five years of consultations. Next steps include a Security of Information Agreement and deeper defense industry cooperation, including co-development and co-investment.

The partnership is expected to expand operational cooperation, particularly in the Indian Ocean, as well as in cyber security, hybrid threats, and the security aspects of AI.