Expect EU to sign FTA and India-Canada negotiations to be completed by year-end, govt says
The Indian government expects to finalize free trade agreements with the European Union and Canada by the end of 2026. Additionally, an interim trade deal with the U.S. and an agreement with New Zealand are currently in progress.
Why it matters
These trade negotiations are critical for India's economic strategy and its goal of expanding global market access through bilateral partnerships.
The end of this year is likely to see India move considerably forward on trade agreements with both the European Union (EU) and Canada.
While the Indian government expects the EU authorities to sign the text of the free trade agreement (FTA) with India by the end of this year, it also expects to complete negotiations on an FTA with Canada by that time, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Tuesday (September 15, 2026).
Further, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will be traveling to the U.S. at the end of this month to attend the G20 Trade Ministers’ meeting, during which he will likely hold a bilateral meeting with his U.S. counterpart to discuss trade issues, including the much-delayed interim trade agreement announced in February.
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