Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the India-EU summit at Lisbon before he flies to France for a high-profile bilateral visit, people familiar with the matter hinted on Sunday.
India and the European Union are expected to signal the start of negotiations for a broad-based trade and investment agreement (BBTIA) at the Portugal Summit on May 8.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the India-EU summit at Lisbon before he flies to France for a high-profile bilateral visit, people familiar with the matter hinted on Sunday.
Even as India and the EU are major trade partners since the negotiations started in 2007, the two nations have largely varied in their opinions over tariffs of alcohol, auto components, small cars, and data security. To address these differences, external affairs minister S Jaishankar is also set to hold talks on a diplomatic level with the EU, to strengthen trade relations. The talks will begin between April 9 and 19.
There is a possibility of a meeting between commerce minister Piyush Goyal and EU executive vice president and commissioner for trade Valdis Dombrovskis later this month-end. The date for the Goyal-Dombrovskis meeting is still to be decided, EU diplomats said.
“Both sides have shown more accommodation this time and are willing to have a positive view towards exports from both blocks,” said a senior official.
The EU will be under pressure to complete the trade deal with India since India is expected to sign a bilateral trade agreement with post-Brexit Britain during UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to New Delhi on April 26.
Ahead of the visit by Indian PM, the French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will be on India visit from 13 to 15 April. During his India visit, he will take part in the Raisina Dialogue and India-France-Australia foreign ministers trilateral meet.
Both Paris and Delhi have increased engagement at multiple levels -- from dealing with the Covid-19 crisis to defence.