India to discuss carbon tariffs, trade barriers with EU at ninth round of FTA talks starting September 23: Commerce ministry

India is moving forward on all FTA talks, says commerce secretary

The ninth round of talks between India and the European Union (EU) to discuss the free trade agreement (FTA) is set to begin from September in New Delhi.

The government is slated to take up the concerns of Indian businesses regarding carbon border adjustment mechanism and deforestation with the European Union, the Commerce Ministry said.

The two sides are expected to discuss rules of origin, non-tariff barriers like sanitary and phytosanitary conditions and trade remedies at the negotiations to be held from September 23-27.

The two sides held the eighth round of negotiations on 21 policy areas between June 24 and 28. The negotiations were formally relaunched in 2022. The countries are discussing 23 policy areas and chapters.

“There are further requests on FTA agreements with India,” Sunil Barthwal, Commerce Secretary, noted, highlighting that India is moving forward on all FTAs except with Canada.

India-Canada FTA talks were stalled as political relations between the two countries soured.

Negotiations with the UK will likely begin from October. Moneycontrol had reported that talks are likely to take some time to resume.

“There are things that are not in our control. We had elections, and then the UK had elections. So, we lost that period,” said Barthwal.

The commerce secretary also noted that India was trying to close negotiations with Australia before the country's elections.