EU hopes to conclude talks on free trade deal with India

The European Union's top officials hope to announce the conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement with India on Tuesday during a visit to New Delhi.

Ahead of the trip, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the potential agreement as "the mother of all deals."

If finalized, the deal would create a market of 2 billion people accounting for almost a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP), according to the European Commission.

"India is a crucial partner for the EU. Together we share the capacity and responsibility to protect the rules-based international order," European Council President Antonio Costa said previously.

The negotiations on the free trade deal initially started in 2007 but for many years made little progress.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine led to the relaunch of the talks in 2022, and US President Donald Trump's tariff policy spurred rapid progress.

The EU aims for India to lower its high import duties on cars, hoping ailing European car makers will be able to find a new market and boost sales.

Under the deal, tariffs on alcohol imported to India could be reduced to the benefit of EU producers.

In return, India reportedly is hoping for easier market access for its pharmaceutical and textile products.

In New Delhi, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas also aims to sign a security and defence partnership with India.

The agreement "will deliver concrete results in areas such as maritime security, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism," she wrote ahead of the signature.

The EU already has similar partnerships with Japan and South Korea.