India and the European Union have agreed to fast track the free trade agreement and aim to conclude it by the year end, along with collaborating on initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen affirmed their commitment to strengthen the EU-India Strategic Partnership, with negotiations set to begin in March in Brussels to enhance market access and remove trade barriers, focusing on key issues such as tariffs on automobiles and agricultural goods. The completion of the FTA by year end is crucial as bilateral trade between India and the EU is significant, with talks having resumed in 2022 and the need to address concerns like the EU’s carbon tax and India’s demand for lower tariffs on various goods.
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