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In Pictures & News — the landmark Free Trade Agreement through images and the latest updates.
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After 19 years of negotiations, the EU and India formally signed the FTA at a landmark summit in New Delhi, marking a new era in bilateral trade relations between the world's largest democracy and the EU's 27 member states.
Small and medium enterprises on both sides stand to gain enormously from the agreement. Simplified customs procedures, reduced tariffs, and new digital trade provisions open doors that were previously closed to smaller businesses.
India's €22 billion textile and apparel sector gains immediate duty-free access to the EU's 450 million consumers, expected to create an estimated 400,000 new jobs across the sector over the next five years.
With automobile tariffs set to fall from 100% to 15% over seven years, European car manufacturers are drawing up ambitious expansion plans for India's rapidly growing middle-class consumer market.
Over 400 Geographical Indications from both sides receive formal protection under the FTA, safeguarding iconic products from Champagne and Parmigiano Reggiano to Darjeeling Tea and Basmati Rice.
The FTA's digital trade provisions — covering data flows, e-commerce, and cybersecurity cooperation — are being hailed by trade experts as the most progressive framework ever agreed between two major economies.