Particle.news
Download on the App Store

EU and India Seal Sweeping Trade Deal, Launch Security Partnership

The agreement now proceeds to legal review and ratification before it can enter into force.

Overview

  • The pact eliminates or cuts duties on 96.6% of EU goods exports to India, with the European Commission estimating €4 billion in annual tariff savings and projecting EU goods exports to India could double by 2032.
  • Indian auto import duties will fall from up to 110% to about 10% over ten years, with an immediate drop to 35%, an annual export quota of 250,000 European cars (160,000 internal‑combustion and 90,000 electric), a 75,000‑unit CKD quota, and full liberalisation for parts and spares over five to ten years.
  • Sensitive farm products are shielded, including beef, poultry, rice, sugar and certain dairy, while key cuts include wine duties falling from 150% to 20%, spirits and beer from 110% to 40%, olive oil from 45% to zero, and many processed foods from up to 50% to zero.
  • The deal extends beyond trade with a formal partnership on security and defence, including cooperation on maritime security, cyber threats, counter‑terrorism and space.
  • Brussels frames the accord as a strategic diversification of markets in a period of tariff tensions, while the technical texts now undergo legal‑linguistic review and must be approved by EU institutions and India, with implementation expected within roughly the next year.