For India, FTA would mean boosting the nation’s key export sectors, reinforcing its position as Europe’s major partner in Asia and lessening dependency on the US. The EU, for its part, would benefit from the diversification of supply chains and would be better positioned to increase its influence in the Indo-Pacific. The negotiations are especially timely amid growing US protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty.
All in all, India and the EU getting closer to each other should not be something surprising. The two have a lot in common, including sharing the same values of fundamental freedoms and human rights. A large, multi-ethnic democracy with an expanding economy and growing global influence, India is no doubt a critical partner for the EU.
