European Union Ambassador to India Jean-Eric Paquet said the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would be “an absolute game changer for India and Europe”, highlighting its potential to strengthen trade, investment and supply chains alongside deeper cooperation in defence and economic security.
Addressing the Annual Session and Champion Awards 2026 of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) in New Delhi on Friday, Paquet said India and the European Union aimed to conclude the FTA by the end of 2026 and bring it into force in 2027.
“What lies ahead is the signing of the Free Trade Agreement. In principle, we aim to conclude the FTA by the end of this year and intend to bring it into force in the course of 2027. This is an absolute game changer for India and Europe,” he said.
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Paquet said he hoped the FTA would be accompanied by an Investment Protection Agreement, which is currently under negotiation, adding that the two agreements could create a common economic space between India and Europe.
“Together, the FTA, the mother of all these initiatives and the Investment Protection Agreement would create a single economic space spanning India and Europe. Within this space, we could trade more freely, strengthen supply chains through trade and investment, make them more resilient and reduce strategic dependencies,” he said.
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