India and the European Union have directed officials to resolve pending issues and expedite negotiations to finalise the proposed free trade agreement, an official statement said on Saturday. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic met in Brussels to review the progress of the negotiations. Goyal's two-day visit concluded on January 9.

"Both leaders provided guidance to negotiating teams to resolve pending issues and expedite the agreement," the commerce ministry said. The meetings focused on progress across key negotiating tracks, including market access for goods, rules of origin, and services.

The ministerial engagement was preceded by high-level talks between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and European Commission Director-General for Trade Sabine Weyand on January 6 and 7, 2026.

Officials worked to "narrow divergences” and bring clarity to outstanding issues, paving the way for the ministerial dialogue, it said. The discussions reaffirmed strong political resolve on both sides to address pending issues through constructive engagement, with both parties aiming to conclude the negotiations at the earliest.
(With PTI inputs)

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