The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, António Costa, will meet the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday 27 January, as part of a bilateral EU-India summit.
The date, which had been circulating for several weeks, was confirmed by the European Council on Wednesday 14 January.
At this bilateral summit, the two parties are expected to conclude the negotiations on the EU-India free trade agreement, which were relaunched in 2022.
At a discussion between Member States’ ambassadors to the EU, on Wednesday 14 January, a majority recognised the importance of achieving a trade agreement (see EUROPE 13784/23).
A further discussion between EU Council trade experts is scheduled for 15 January, before another exchange between ambassadors on Wednesday 21 January.
The prospect of a trade agreement with New Delhi is viewed just as positively by the European Commission and a number of Member States as the forthcoming signing of the agreement with the Mercosur countries (see other news), the aim being to diversify the EU’s trade relations beyond China and the United States. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)