Its roots lie in the early 2000s, when India and the EU — already significant commercial partners — began exploring ways to move beyond sectoral cooperation toward a more structured and strategic economic relationship.This aspiration took institutional form in 2004, when both sides elevated their engagement to a “strategic partnership,” signaling shared interests in trade, technology and global governance.
The formal launch of negotiations in 2007 reflected this ambition, with the agreement envisioned as a comprehensive framework covering trade in goods and services, investment protection, public procurement, intellectual property rights and regulatory cooperation.
