1、 the Difference.March 2026India-European Union(EU)free trade agreement(FTA)Deepening strategic partnership Deepening strategic partnership and expanding bilateral prosperityand expanding bilateral prosperityForewordAs global trade recalibrates resilience and the geopolitical landscape continues to e
2、volve,economies are reassessing their engagement models to protect stability,strategic autonomy and long-term competitiveness.In this environment,partnerships anchored in trust,scale and shared standards are becoming increasingly critical.The India-EU FTA reflects this shift,moving beyond a conventi
3、onal trade arrangement towards a comprehensive,innovation-led economic framework.As negotiations concluded in January 2026,the agreement brings together a combined consumer base of nearly two billion and provides access to a combined market of USD24 trillion.It offers businesses greater scale,suppor
4、ts supply chain diversification and reinforces growth within a transparent,predictable and rules-based architecture across both regions.Importantly,this agreement arrives at an inflection point in Indias trade strategy,one that increasingly prioritises deeper integration with advanced economies,resi
5、lient value chains and higher value participation in global markets.This report,India-European Union(EU)Free Trade Agreement(FTA),explores the strategic foundations and economic implications of this landmark partnership.It highlights how the agreement serves as a powerful catalyst for deepening Indi
6、a-EU economic integration while reinforcing Indias position as a credible,dependable and influential participant in the global economic order.At its core,the agreement provides preferential access for India across 97 per cent of EU tariff lines,covering nearly 99 per cent of trade value.This creates