India, Germany push to finalise long-awaited India-EU FTA

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche in Berlin to discuss strengthening trade and investment cooperation between India and Germany. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to expediting the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

During the meeting, Goyal and Reiche held extensive discussions on deepening Indo-German collaboration across key sectors, including green energy, advanced technology, industrial innovation, and defence. Goyal highlighted India’s growing role as a global manufacturing and technology hub, underpinned by a large skilled workforce and ongoing reforms to enhance the ease of doing business. He invited German companies to leverage India’s investment-friendly environment to diversify global supply chains and strengthen bilateral trade.

In a post on X, Goyal shared, “It was a pleasure to meet Katherina Reiche in Berlin. Our discussions focused on deepening Indo-German ties in trade, investment, and technology, while reaffirming Germany’s commitment to the India-EU FTA.”

The Minister also participated in a roundtable with CEOs from Germany’s Mittelstand (small and medium-sized enterprises) and Indian companies. The dialogue centred on promoting innovation, sustainable manufacturing, and expanding industrial partnerships to boost competitiveness and green growth.

Goyal’s visit to Berlin comes as India and Germany prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership in 2025, marking a milestone in their longstanding economic and diplomatic relations.

As part of his official engagements, Goyal will also address the third edition of the Berlin Global Dialogue (BGD), a premier international summit bringing together leaders from government, business, and academia to discuss global economic challenges and collaborative policy frameworks.

The meeting underscores India’s growing engagement with European partners to advance mutual economic growth and sustainability goals.