India – EU Trade Deal:- A game changer for Bilateral Relations

Anindita Ganguly

India – EU Trade Deal:- A game changer for Bilateral Relations

Author(s)	Ms. Anindita Ganguly
Country	India
Abstract	India–European Union (EU) relations have evolved significantly from a predominantly commercial engagement into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing trade, investment, technology, sustainability and geopolitical cooperation. This paper examines the evolution of India–EU trade relations with particular emphasis on the period up to 2024 and analyses the prolonged negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which originated in 2007 under the proposed Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA). Despite the growing volume and strategic importance of bilateral trade, negotiations remained stalled for several years owing to differences over tariffs, market access, services, investment, intellectual property rights, regulatory standards and non-tariff barriers. The resumption of negotiations in 2022 marked a significant turning point, reflecting changing economic and geopolitical circumstances, including global supply-chain disruptions, the changing Indo-Pacific order and the growing importance of economic diversification. Using a combination of quantitative trade data and qualitative analysis of official documents, academic studies, policy reports and contemporary journalistic accounts, the paper examines the changing structure of India–EU economic relations and evaluates the potential transformative significance of the FTA. The study argues that the agreement should be viewed not merely as an instrument for reducing trade barriers but as an important component of a broader geoeconomic and strategic partnership. By facilitating market access, strengthening investment and services cooperation, promoting technology and supply-chain linkages, and enhancing economic resilience, the agreement has the potential to deepen India's integration with the European economy while simultaneously strengthening the EU's engagement with India in the emerging multipolar international order. The paper concludes that the FTA can constitute a potential game changer for India–EU bilateral relations, although its long-term impact will depend substantially on effective implementation and the ability of both sides to address residual regulatory and structural challenges.
Field	Sociology > Politics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-08-18

View / Download PDF File

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

India – EU Trade Deal:- A game changer for Bilateral Relations

Share this