External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, in New Delhi on Monday, expressing hope that the visiting delegation’s engagements in India would be productive.
Taking to the social media platform X, Jaishankar wrote in a post, “A pleasure to meet European Trade & Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in New Delhi today. Confident that the Commissioner and his team will have productive discussions in India.”
Last month, a joint statement issued following the 11th India-European Union Foreign Policy and Security Consultations and the 6th Strategic Partnership Review Meeting in Brussels, noted that India and the European Union look forward to constructive negotiations aiming at the timely and successful conclusion of a Security and Defence Partnership and a Security of Information Agreement.
The meetings, held on November 18-19, assessed the full spectrum of the bilateral relationship and reviewed implementation of the 'India–EU Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025', which is reaching completion this year. According to the Joint Statement, both sides welcomed the "very positive momentum" in EU–India relations, including the landmark College of Commissioners' visit to India in February, the first EU–India Strategic Dialogue in Brussels, held by HRVP Kaja Kallas and EAM Jaishankar in June, and the EU's adoption of the Joint Communication on the Strategic Agenda on India in September.
"The two sides reaffirmed the shared ambition to conclude negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year and to accelerate negotiations on the Investment Protection Agreement and the Agreement on Geographical Indications. They underlined the importance of cooperation at the multilateral level and of continued dialogue on economic issues, including on supply chain diversification.
Both sides also noted the progress in the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) and looked forward to the next TTC Ministerial Meeting in Brussels in 2026," read the statement. Earlier on October 29, EAM Jaishankar met a delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade in New Delhi, discussing ways to maximise convergences and deepen cooperation.
Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George and other officials were also present. "Pleased to meet delegation of European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade INTA today in Delhi. Discussed how India and the European Union can maximise convergences and deepen cooperation.
This can stabilise the global economy and strengthen democratic forces. The early conclusion of the India-EU FTA can make a big difference to these objectives," EAM Jaishankar then posted on X after his meeting with the EU delegation.