EU-India Trade Deal Gains Momentum as Jaishankar Meets Toiu

India’s top diplomat Dr. S. Jaishankar engaged in strategic discussions with Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu during an informal gathering of European Union foreign ministers in Cyprus, with the EU-India Free Trade Agreement taking center stage in their conversation.

The meeting, which marked the fourth interaction between the two ministers, saw both sides expressing determination to create favorable conditions for businesses to capitalize on the upcoming trade agreement. Sectors such as defense technology, sustainable energy, steel and automotive industries, fertilizer production, and port development were identified as areas with significant collaborative potential.

Minister Toiu announced that bilateral trade has reached $1.2 billion in 2025, up by more than 20 percent from 2024 levels. She credited the revival of the Joint Economic Commission, dormant for eight years, for bringing renewed momentum to economic relations and stimulating investment activity.

Beyond trade matters, the ministers discussed evolving security dynamics in the Middle East, including energy supply chains, connectivity initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, and the importance of maintaining open navigation routes through critical maritime passages.

With the EU-India FTA expected to be operational by 2026, both nations are positioning themselves to benefit from what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the “mother of all deals,” anticipating qualitative improvements in their multifaceted partnership.