Piyush Goyal to visit Brussels in ‘decisive push’ to conclude India-EU FTA talks

In a “decisive push” to finalise the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will be visfiting Brussels for a two-day trip during which he will meet his European counterpart, resolve the final pending issues, and expedite the conclusion of the negotiations, the government announced on Tuesday (January 6, 2026).

Mr. Goyal’s visit comes just weeks before EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa are set to attend India’s Republic Day as chief guests ahead of the EU-India Summit.

“Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, is scheduled to visit Brussels for a significant two-day official trip from 8-9 January 2026,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a release. “The visit underscores the intensifying diplomatic and technical engagements between New Delhi and Brussels, signalling a decisive push toward concluding the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).”

Although no official announcement has yet been made, it is expected that the Summit will see an announcement on the conclusion of the India-EU FTA negotiations.

During his visit, Mr. Goyal will hold high-level dialogues with the European Union’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič. 

“The primary objective of these interactions is to provide strategic guidance to the negotiating teams, resolve pending issues, and expedite the conclusion of a balanced and ambitious agreement,” the release said.

“The leaders are expected to carry out detailed deliberations across key areas of the proposed agreement, aiming to narrow divergences and ensure clarity on outstanding matters,” it added. 

This Ministerial engagement is expected to build upon the groundwork laid during high-level discussions that are currently underway (January 6-7, 2026) between India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and the Director-General for Trade of the European Commission Sabine Weyand. 

“India is pushing for zero-duty access for its labour-intensive sectors — such as textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewellery, and handicrafts,” the release said. “Both India and the EU have expressed strong political resolve to deliver a comprehensive deal.”