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On 2 August 2026, the global technology landscape enters a new era as the European Union officially begins enforcing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. From 2 August 2026, the European Union begins enforcing key provisions of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, marking an important step in how AI is regulated.

Global trade is undergoing a profound green transformation. For Indian businesses preparing to navigate the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a significant relief measure is now on the horizon.

The European Union is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of cross-border digital retail. From 1 July 2026, the European Union introduced a temporary €3 customs duty as an interim measure, ending the longstanding customs duty exemption for low-value e-commerce imports.

The European Commission has published a formal proposal to add two Indian ship recycling facilities to the updated 16th edition of the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities, marking the first proposed inclusion of South Asian yards under the European Union Ship Recycling Regulation.

A quiet transformation is taking shape across European retail shelves that will soon reshape how physical products are manufactured, tracked, and traded across international borders.

The UK–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which entered into force on 15 July 2026, has largely been discussed in terms of lower tariffs, expanded market access and stronger trade ties. Yet one of its most significant provisions lies beyond the movement of goods.

The UK–India Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) entered into force on 15 July 2026, bringing into effect one of the most significant trade agreements between the two countries. Following the conclusion of negotiations in July 2025, the agreement provides for the elimination or substantial reduction of tariffs across the vast majority of bilateral trade.

In an era of significant geopolitical transition, senior diplomats from India and Poland convened in New Delhi on 13 July 2026 to systematically expand their multi-faceted relationship. The high-level meeting, characterised by a shared commitment to mutual progress, focused on advancing collaborative efforts in trade, investment, advanced technologies, and defence.

On 1 July 2026, Ireland officially assumed the rotating six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, succeeding Cyprus.

On Wednesday, 8 July 2026, India and the Slovak Republic reaffirmed their commitment to significantly deepen their bilateral alliance across multiple fronts. During a high-level meeting in Bratislava, India's Ambassador to Slovakia, Apoorva Srivastava, and Slovakia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Juraj Blanár, mapped out a strategic pathway to expand mutual engagements.

In a significant stride towards strengthening global economic ties, India and the European Union are in the final technical stages of their proposed Free Trade Agreement, with the legal scrubbing of the text expected to be completed within fifteen to twenty days.

The report, India–EU FTA: From Market Access to Strategic Economic Corridors, prepared by Water & Shark in association with the Europe India Centre for Business and Industry (EICBI), examines the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement as a major turning point in India–Europe economic relations.

India has officially launched its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Greece, marking a significant milestone in the European expansion of its digital payment ecosystem. Under a strategic partnership that went live on 30 June 2026, eligible customers can now transfer money instantly and securely between the two nations, drastically reducing cross-border transaction costs to a fraction of conventional rates.

As India and the European Union continue to deepen their trade and economic partnership, businesses on both sides are paying increasing attention to tariffs, market access and investment opportunities. However, another aspect of the relationship is becoming equally important: regulatory compliance.

Norway’s Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener, has formally highlighted the newly institutionalised "Green Strategic Partnership" between the two nations, marking a transformative phase in bilateral diplomacy. This milestone follows the landmark official visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Oslo in May 2026—the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Norway in 43 years, and his first during his third term. The upgraded relationship establishes a comprehensive policy framewor

The European Union has awarded 75 Indian students the prestigious, fully funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) scholarships for the 2026–2028 academic cycle. This latest intake cements India's long-standing position as the top recipient of these highly competitive global awards since 2004, placing the nation among the top three beneficiaries globally for the current intake. Announced during a celebratory pre-departure ceremony in New Delhi, this academic milestone

India–EU FTA Nears Completion: What Businesses Need to Know

A new Eurobarometer survey, the European Union’s long-running public opinion programme used by the European Commission to assess views and experiences across Member States, has highlighted a growing challenge for European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Nearly half of these companies say they struggle to find workers with the right skills, while recruitment from outside the EU remains limited despite clear demand for support. The findings also show that the EU is i

India used the IISS (International Institute for Strategic Studies) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore as a platform to advance its defence partnership with the European Union. According to All India Radio, Indian officials held key defence discussions with EU representatives on the sidelines of the summit.

From Trade Agreement to Economic Architecture The conclusion of the EU–India Free Trade Agreement is rightly being celebrated as a diplomatic milestone. But for business executives on both sides, the more pressing question is what comes next. Trade agreements create conditions; they do not create corridors. The corridor has to be built, deal by deal, investment by investment, regulatory approval by regulatory approval. What is taking shape, slowly but with increasing clar