EU envoy flags ‘missed chance’ in India trade talks, urges breakthrough before December

EU calls on India to move faster on free trade deal after lack of progress in 13th round

The latest round of trade negotiations between India and the European Union (EU) was a 'missed opportunity' to break new ground, EU envoy Herve Delphin said on Monday, according to PTI.

Both sides met in New Delhi between September 9 and 12 for the 13th round of discussions on the proposed free trade agreement (FTA). But progress was limited, with differences persisting on sensitive issues such as automobiles and agricultural products.

“The 13th round earlier in September was a bit of a missed opportunity to make some breakthrough. The EU was and is still ready to conclude on a meaningful package,” Delphin said.

The leadership of India and the EU has set December 2025 as the target to wrap up the ambitious trade pact, a timeline that now looks increasingly challenging.

EU urges India to engage ‘in earnest’

Speaking at an event, Delphin stressed that the 27-nation bloc remains prepared to sign off on a 'meaningful' trade package.

“We look forward to India engaging in earnest and moving, like the EU has shown readiness to do, towards a mutually beneficial deal,” he said.

Beyond trade: a broader strategic convergence

Delphin also added that ties between India and the EU now extend far beyond economics, highlighting their shared geopolitical and security interests.

“The trust and thrust in our relationship can take it to a new strategic level, a truly transformative partnership pact. This is Brussels’ call to Delhi,” he said, PTI reported.

Together, India and the EU account for nearly 25 percent of global GDP and 25 percent of the world’s population. Delphin argued that both sides are natural partners committed to a rules-based order, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and joint efforts on issues such as climate change, AI governance, and sustainable development.

Shared stance on global challenges

Delphin emphasised that both India and the EU reject wars of aggression, terrorism, and economic coercion. As democracies, he said, they see each other as 'poles of stability' in a multipolar world.

With Brussels leaning towards 'strategic autonomy', Delphin suggested the EU’s value as a partner has grown in Delhi, especially given India’s challenges in balancing ties with China, Russia and the United States.

“In short, circumstances of necessity to de-risk, to hedge by diversifying partnerships and affirmation of greater strategic autonomy certainly provide a strong impetus for deepening our strategic ties,” he said, PTI reported.

A shifting global chessboard

The envoy also reflected on the wider geopolitical upheaval, describing US-China relations as increasingly locked in a 'systems-level competition' with ripple effects across the globe.

“Nationalist politics are back, driven by identity and communal reflexes, conjuring up historical claims, and turbocharged by a technological race to ensure supremacy,” he warned.

Delphin argued this return to power politics is undermining international law and multilateralism. Both India and the EU, he said, are feeling the squeeze: “Their economic development and their security are under stress; their vision of a rules-based and cooperative global order is undermined.”

Von der Leyen: an opportunity, not just a threat

Citing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Delphin noted that the turbulence of global politics also offers a chance for India and the EU to redefine their partnership.

“This world is fraught with danger. But I believe this modern version of great power competition is an opportunity for Europe and India to re-imagine their partnership,” she had said earlier.

“In many ways, the EU and India are uniquely placed to respond to this challenge together,” von der Leyen remarked.