Kolkata: The India-EU Free Trade Agreement that marks the culmination of nearly two decades of negotiations could be a shot in the arm for a number of sectors from electronics to textiles, defence to labour mobility. But perhaps more significant is its timing, coming that it does against the backdrop of eroding exports to the US, where president Donald Trump has slapped punitive 50% tariffs on goods imports from India. The India-EU FTA can not only boost many sectors but also compensate for lost trade with the US.

Today Jan 27 could go down as a historic day in the world of Indian exports since European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa are supposed to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the conclusion of official-level negotiations for the deal. According to data, the GDP of the EU region is the second largest after the US. In 2026 it is projected to be around $22.5 trillion (in nominal terms) or $30.2 trillion (in PPP terms). Services constitute around 74% of the output.

According to reports, the pact is likely to provide duty free access to a........

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