Will Translation Issues Delay The EU-India Deal?
The EU–India trade agreement faces an important administrative challenge: translating complex legal texts into the European Union’s 24 official languages. When the European Commission sent its proposed trade agreement with India to the European Council on 11 September 2026, the document was made available only in English due to strict administrative deadlines.
This prompted debate among member states over the need for legal texts to be available in national languages to ensure fair democratic scrutiny. Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine translation tools are emerging as potential solutions to help the European Union and India make vital agreements and public services more accessible to people across languages.
Solving the Translation Puzzle
The European Union has 24 official languages, creating a significant administrative challenge. Citizens have the fundamental right to read laws and communicate with institutions in their own languages.
To support this translation effort, the European Commission developed eTranslation, a highly secure tool that translates documents across all official languages. In July 2026, the Directorate-General for Translation introduced the EU Institutional Large Language Model. Trained on decades of legal texts, the system is designed to provide accurate, context-aware translations for public use.
India faces a similar challenge, with 22 officially recognised languages and countless regional dialects. To make digital services more accessible, the Indian government launched the Digital India Bhashini Division. Bhashini operates as a national digital platform with more than 300 pre-trained artificial intelligence models that translate text and speech in real time. Through community initiatives such as Bhasha Daan, citizens can contribute voice and text data to improve these tools, making language technology a collaborative public effort.
Working Together on Tech
This shared focus on language technology is guided by the India–EU Trade and Technology Council. Created in April 2022 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the council addresses challenges relating to trade, global security and trusted technology.
A dedicated working group focusing on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity has made artificial intelligence a priority.
Both regions are committed to developing safe, trustworthy and human-centric AI. The partnership also focuses on building independent digital systems rather than relying entirely on external commercial technology companies. This includes developing large language models and applications designed to serve the public good.
Real Benefits for Everyday People
Language technology can help people access public services in languages they understand. In India, the Bhashini platform is linked to the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System. This enables citizens to file official complaints and seek assistance in their own regional languages. The capability supports hundreds of thousands of people every year, helping reduce literacy and language barriers in public administration.
In Europe, officials are exploring the potential of real-time synthetic voice translation. This could allow European commissioners to deliver speeches in one language while citizens listen in their preferred languages. To support these technological developments, the European AI Office and the IndiaAI Mission have formally agreed to deepen their cooperation. This includes a global acceleration programme launched in 2025, involving European hubs such as Station F and HEC Paris to help Indian artificial intelligence startups expand globally.
A Blueprint for the Future
As countries seek to strengthen their digital independence, the partnership between India and the European Union offers a model for international cooperation. By combining Europe's regulatory frameworks and computing power with India's extensive digital reach and skilled developers, both sides can contribute to shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Their shared goal is to ensure that technology serves people, respects local languages and operates ethically.
These digital priorities were discussed and advanced during the third ministerial meeting of the India–EU Trade and Technology Council, held in Brussels, Belgium, on 15 July 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by India's External Affairs Minister and Minister of Commerce and Industry, alongside their counterparts from the European Commission.
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