EU–India Trade Pact Concluded—Legal Steps to Approval Underway

As of February 2026, the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has reached the end of its negotiating phase but has not yet entered into force, and the European Parliament has not formally approved the agreement. The EU-India trade pact text is currently in the post‑negotiation phase, undergoing legal and procedural steps on both sides before it can move to signature and ratification.

Deal Timeline

Negotiations Formally Concluded

According to the European Commission’s trade portal, negotiations for the EU‑India FTA, relaunched in June 2022, were formally concluded on 27 January 2026. India’s Ministry of External Affairs likewise lists a “Joint Announcement on the conclusion of the negotiations of the India‑EU Free Trade Agreement” among the official outcomes of the visit of the Presidents of the European Council and European Commission to India from 25–27 January 2026. Both sides have presented the conclusion of talks as a significant step in deepening their strategic and economic partnership.

Current Status of the Agreement

Despite this milestone, the agreement is not yet in operation and remains subject to standard post‑negotiation procedures. At this stage, the text is undergoing legal and linguistic review to ensure that the provisions agreed by negotiators are accurately reflected and consistent with each party’s legal order. Until these technical steps are completed and the agreement is formally signed and ratified through the respective internal processes, no changes will apply to existing EU–India trade rules.

Ratification Steps

Next Steps in EU and Indian Procedures

On the European side, the Commission is expected to advance the agreement through the EU’s established treaty‑making process, which includes submission for signature by the Council and consent by the European Parliament before final conclusion by the EU and, where required, ratification by member states.

On the Indian side, the agreement will similarly proceed through domestic approval channels, including the relevant governmental and parliamentary procedures. Taken together, these steps mean that, while negotiations have been successfully concluded, the EU‑India FTA remains at the approval and ratification stage, with its entry into force dependent on the timely completion of these legal and institutional processes.