India and the European Union have signed their largest trade deal. A US trade official says the agreement tilts in New Delhi’s favour, offering wider market access and potential worker mobility.
India has secured its largest free trade agreement with the European Union, a deal hailed as unprecedented in scale. The United States’ top trade representative, Jamieson Greer, said the agreement appears to tilt in New Delhi’s favour by opening wider access to the European market.
Speaking to Fox Business, Greer remarked that India would “come out on top” once the deal is implemented. “I’ve looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly. They get more market access into Europe,” he said. Greer added that the agreement may also include immigration rights, noting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s comments on mobility for Indian workers.
Von der Leyen described the pact as “the mother of all trade deals.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed the signing alongside European Council President Antonio Costa, calling it the biggest free trade agreement in India’s history. In a statement on X, Modi said the two blocs, with trade valued at US$213 billion, had “sealed the biggest FTA in our history.”
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Modi emphasised that the agreement is a blueprint for mutual growth and shared prosperity. He noted that around eight lakh Indians living in the EU would benefit significantly from the deal. “Today, India has concluded the largest Free Trade Agreement in its history. This is not just a trade agreement... it is a new blueprint for shared prosperity,” the Prime Minister said.
The signing took place on January 27, a date Modi described as a “happy coincidence” given the 27 member states of the European Union. The declaration marked a milestone in India’s trade relations, with expectations of expanded opportunities for businesses and workers across both regions.
