EU, India focus on implementing FTA, defence deal: Ursula von der Leyen

Brussels: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said the EU and India are now focused on efficiently implementing their recently concluded free trade deal and security partnership.

Her remarks came after a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Brussels for talks with his counterparts from the 27-member European Union (EU).

"At the EU-India Summit in January, we concluded our Free Trade Agreement - the mother of all deals - and signed a Security and Defence Partnership," von der Leyen said in a social media post after her "good meeting" with Jaishankar.


"Now we are focused on efficient implementation, to deliver for the people of Europe and India as soon as possible," she said.

The two leaders also discussed developments in West Asia and Ukraine.

"De-escalation, stability and energy security are our shared objectives," the EU leader said.

India and the EU sealed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) -- billed as the "mother of all deals" -- following the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership on January 27.

Jaishankar's visit is the first high-level trip from India to Brussels headquartered EU after the two sides finalised the landmark trade deal.

He travelled to the capital of Belgium on Sunday at the invitation of EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas.

The EU, as a bloc, is India's largest trading partner in goods.

For the financial year 2024-25, India's total trade in goods with the EU was worth about USD 136 billion, with exports around USD 76 billion and imports at USD 60 billion.