Bridging Continents: Goyal Leads India’s Trade Mission to Spain, Belgium and Finland

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will head a high-level Indian business delegation to Spain, Belgium and Finland from 13–17 July 2026, the Ministry of Commerce announced. The trip, the ministry said, “underscores India’s commitment to strengthening economic partnerships across Europe, with a focus on trade, investment, technology, innovation and sustainability”.

The five-day mission will include visits, roundtables and high-level meetings, as India seeks to deepen ties with EU economies and capitalise on emerging opportunities. According to the official press release, the delegation includes major Indian companies spanning advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital technologies, gems and jewellery, food processing, healthcare and design. This push comes as India’s goods trade with the European Union has reached new highs – bilateral trade was about US$ 136.5 billion in 2024–25 – making the EU one of India’s largest trading partners.

In Spain for trade growth and FTA talks.

Spain: Trade Growth and FTA Talks

In Spain (13 July), Goyal will press forward on bilateral trade and the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement. He is scheduled to hold meetings with key Spanish leaders, including Carlos Cuerpo Caballero, First Vice President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business; Jordi Hereu Boher, Minister of Industry and Tourism; and José Manuel Albares, Spain’s Foreign Minister for EU affairs. In addition, he will chair an India–Spain business roundtable with leading Spanish firms and industry bodies to showcase Indian investment opportunities and foster closer business-to-business ties.

Later that day he will join a broader industry roundtable hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Spain (CEOE) and ICEX Spain Trade & Investment. This session brings together Indian and Spanish companies to explore cooperation in sectors such as automotive, renewable energy, railways, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, food processing and tourism. Spain has already seen growing Indian linkages: companies like Iberdrola, Acciona, CAF, Talgo, Gestamp and Indra have a strong presence in India, and Indian IT and engineering majors such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and L&T are expanding operations in Spain to support digitalisation and “Industry 4.0” initiatives.

The visit coincides with the Spain–India Dual Year 2026, commemorating 70 years of diplomatic relations and underlining a special emphasis on strengthening commercial and technological partnerships. Notably, Indian exports to Spain have been surging – rising 56% year-on-year to about US$ 4.7 billion in April–November 2025 – which underscores the momentum that officials will seek to build on during this visit.

In Belgium to understand trade, technology and logistics.

Belgium: Ports, Diamonds and Technology

In Belgium (14–15 July), Minister Goyal’s tour will begin with site visits to Antwerp, one of Europe’s busiest ports, and the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. At the Port of Antwerp he will study Europe’s leading logistics hub and discuss best practices in multimodal connectivity, green logistics and resilient supply chains.

At the Diamond Centre, the focus will be on the global diamond value chain, certification and responsible sourcing, exploring new opportunities for India’s gems and jewellery industry. He will also meet CEO-level executives such as Alain Queverin of Thales (a global aerospace, defence and cybersecurity firm with partnerships in India) and Jean-Christophe Bogaert of Silox (a specialty chemicals and battery recycling group with major operations in Gujarat).

Later in Brussels, Goyal will co-chair the third India–EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) ministerial meeting (on 15 July) alongside India’s External Affairs Minister and the Electronics and IT Minister. The TTC is the highest formal mechanism for India–EU economic cooperation on trade, trusted technology and security. On the sidelines he is expected to hold meetings with senior EU leaders – the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council – and Belgium’s Prime Minister, underlining the political significance of the mission. Bilateral talks are also planned with Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy and Agriculture (David Clarinval) and with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. Goyal will engage the private sector through an India–Belgium business roundtable and other industry interactions, further highlighting investment and partnership opportunities.

India & Finland: Powering future innovation.

Finland: Innovation and Industry

In Finland (16–17 July), Goyal will be visiting at the invitation of the Finnish Prime Minister. The agenda there emphasises innovation, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital technologies. He will meet Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr Sakari Puisto, and co-host an India–Finland business roundtable with leading Finnish companies active in digitalisation, clean energy, industrial research and the circular economy. An institutional collaboration is also on the cards: a Memorandum of Understanding between the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Finland’s Business Finland is due to be signed during the visit.

Goyal will tour cutting-edge Finnish firms and research institutions. Planned stops include Nokia (telecom networks and 6G research), VTT Technical Research Centre, KONE Corporation (elevators and smart mobility) and Kemppi (welding and sustainable manufacturing). These meetings aim to explore collaboration in areas like telecom infrastructure, 6G research, smart mobility, industrial machinery, EV charging, frontier technologies and sustainable industrial innovation. Finland’s strong technology and clean-tech ecosystem – for example in areas like 6G and advanced manufacturing – complements India’s interests and will be a key focus of engagement.

Business Delegation and Strategic Themes

The business delegation accompanying the minister is sizable and diverse. It includes firms such as Borosil Renewables (solar glass and technology), Motherson Group (auto components), Trivitron Healthcare, Hari Krishna Exports and Nekkanti Seafoods. Overall, the mission will highlight themes of advanced manufacturing, clean energy and sustainability, digital and frontier technologies, gems and jewellery, and food and consumer industries, reflecting both India’s industrial strengths and Europe’s areas of interest.

The timing of the visit is strategic. With India and the EU recently finalising a negotiated Free Trade Agreement (FTA) – expected to come into effect soon – both sides are keen to see early gains. The Commerce Ministry notes that the mission comes “at a significant juncture in India–EU relations, with both sides committed to strengthening economic cooperation and working towards the early implementation of the India–EU FTA”.

In this context, Goyal’s delegation is seen as a key step toward translating the shared vision of a balanced, resilient India–EU partnership into concrete outcomes. It is also intended to give “fresh momentum to India’s engagement with Europe by promoting trade and investment, strengthening collaboration in emerging technologies, clean energy, innovation and advanced manufacturing”. In short, the visit reinforces India’s role as a trusted global partner for sustainable development, innovation and industrial growth, and aims to generate new economic opportunities for businesses on both sides of the partnership.