India and EU to Finalize Long-Pending Free Trade Agreement by Year's End

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed during her visit to India that the EU and India aim to finalize a long-pending free trade agreement this year. Negotiations on the agreement were restarted in 2021, with the next round scheduled for March. The EU holds the position of India's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade surpassing $135 billion in 2022-2023, almost doubling over the last decade. Von der Leyen stressed the significance of robust trade relations by stating, "You need trusted friends. For Europe, India is such a friend and a strategic ally."