India and the European Union still need to clear approval steps before their trade pact can take effect, even as Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal hopes for a year-end signing.
Speaking in Berlin on Oct. 23, Goyal said the sides were “hoping to sign before the end of calendar year 26.” He pointed to the first quarter of 2027 for the agreement to begin, then mentioned March or April. April falls in the second quarter, and Goyal did not give a confirmed start date.
NDTV Profit separately reported on Oct. 25 that Goyal discussed the timetable at an Indian diaspora event in Amsterdam.
Talks opened in 2007, went dormant in 2013 and resumed in 2022. India and the EU announced on Jan. 27, 2026, that negotiations had concluded. The European Commission’s published draft can still be edited during legal review, and the agreement would take effect only after both parties complete their required domestic procedures.
On the EU side, the process calls for Council adoption, signing, European Parliament consent and a further Council decision. India must ratify the agreement as well. The European Parliament’s Legislative Observatory lists the file as being in its preparatory phase and records a preparatory document dated Sept. 11, 2026.
The scale of existing commerce gives the pact importance for businesses in both markets. India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported $136.54 billion in merchandise trade with the EU in fiscal 2024-25, listing $75.85 billion in Indian exports and $60.68 billion in imports. Services trade totaled $83.10 billion in calendar 2024.
India says the deal would offer market access for more than 99% of its exports by trade value. The European Commission estimates that EU exports to India could double and says current exports are linked to 800,000 jobs in Europe. The Commission says high Indian tariffs have constrained some EU sales, and the agreement aims to reduce tariffs and administrative burdens. The EU plans to retain existing tariffs on products including beef, sugar, rice, chicken meat and milk powders. The next steps are the required approvals in India and the EU.
