‘Both side worked to narrow divergences’: India, EU push officials to fast-track FTA negotiations; here’s what commerce ministry said

India and the European Union have asked their officials to resolve outstanding issues and accelerate negotiations to finalise the proposed free trade agreement, according to an official statement issued on Saturday, PTI reported.Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic met in Brussels to review the status of the talks and assess progress across the negotiating tracks. Goyal’s two-day official visit to Brussels concluded on January 9.

“Both leaders provided guidance to negotiating teams to resolve pending issues and expedite the agreement,” the commerce ministry said.The discussions focused on reviewing progress achieved in key areas of the negotiations, including Market Access for Goods, Rules of Origin and Services, the statement added.The ministerial engagement followed high-level consultations between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and European Commission Director-General for Trade Sabine Weyand, which were held on January 6 and 7, 2026.According to the statement, officials from both sides worked to “narrow divergences” and bring greater clarity on unresolved matters, helping clear the way for the ministerial-level dialogue.“The ministerial-level discussions reaffirmed the strong political resolve on either side to address pending issues through constructive engagement,” it said.The deliberations assume significance as India and the European Union are seeking to conclude the negotiations at the earliest, the statement added.