European Union Ambassador Jean-Eric Paquet has welcomed the upcoming visit of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) delegation to New Delhi from 26 to 28 October, describing it as an important step ahead of the proposed signing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

In a message on X, Paquet said: “Look forward to the visit of @Europarl_EN Foreign Affairs Committee in New Delhi (26-28 Oct), ahead of FTA signing.”

He added: “Led by Chair @DavidMcAllister, they’ll be meeting Government, Parliament & business leaders to discuss how to further strengthen #EUIndia Strategic Agenda.”

The delegation will be led by AFET Committee Chair David McAllister and will undertake what has been described as the committee’s first official visit to India under the European Parliament’s current mandate.

During their stay in New Delhi, members of the delegation are scheduled to hold discussions with representatives of the Indian government, Parliament, business community, think tanks and non-governmental organisations.

Talks are expected to focus on the EU-India Strategic Agenda, as well as major geopolitical challenges affecting both partners. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the strategic partnership and addressing shared concerns across the Indo-Pacific and other regions.

The visit comes at a significant moment in India-EU relations, with both sides moving closer to formalising the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement after years of negotiations. The agreement is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious trade arrangements pursued by either side and is expected to deepen economic integration, investment flows and supply-chain resilience.

The development also follows Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Germany on 22 October, where he led a delegation of nearly 100 representatives from various sectors of Indian industry.

Addressing an India-Germany business roundtable, Goyal expressed confidence that the India-EU FTA could be signed before the end of the year, subject to the completion of necessary procedures.

“You rightly mentioned Ms. von der Leyen’s comment about India and EU FTA being the mother of all deals. It took twenty years, but I can assure you the agreement really got finalised in the last thirteen months,” Goyal said.

He noted that the conclusion of negotiations had been announced on 27 January and credited the political commitment shown by both India and the 27-member European Union in bringing the negotiations to a successful conclusion.

Earlier this month, Paquet described the India-EU FTA as “an absolute game changer for India and Europe”, underlining its potential to boost trade, investment and supply chains while expanding cooperation in defence and economic security.

Speaking at the Annual Session and Champion Awards 2026 of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers in New Delhi, he said: “What lies ahead is the signing of the Free Trade Agreement. In principle, we aim to conclude the FTA by the end of this year and intend to bring it into force in the course of 2027. This is an absolute game changer for India and Europe.”

Paquet also expressed hope that the FTA would be accompanied by an Investment Protection Agreement, which remains under negotiation. He said the two agreements together could create a vast common economic space linking India and Europe.

“Together, the FTA, the mother of all these initiatives and the Investment Protection Agreement would create a single economic space spanning India and Europe. Within this space, we could trade more freely, strengthen supply chains through trade and investment, make them more resilient and reduce strategic dependencies,” he said.

The latest diplomatic engagement reflects the growing momentum in India-EU relations, which increasingly encompass trade, investment, connectivity, economic security, clean energy, technology and defence cooperation.

With the EU remaining one of India’s largest economic partners, both sides are seeking to translate strategic convergence into stronger institutional and commercial ties through the FTA and related agreements.

ANI