European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic and India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal sign an agreement, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Council President Antonio Costa stand next to them, at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, January 27, 2026. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain
Economy
C
CNBC TV1827-01-2026, 23:53

India-EU FTA: Unpacking the Landmark Trade Deal's Winners and Losers

  • India and the EU have finalized a landmark free trade agreement, committing to extensive tariff reductions across most goods.
  • India will phase out duties on 96-97% of EU tariff lines, while the EU will open 98-99.5% of its tariff lines to Indian goods.
  • Sensitive sectors like automobiles and alcoholic beverages have specific provisions, including quota-based duty cuts for cars and phased reductions for spirits.
  • Labor-intensive sectors (textiles, gems, marine products) and medium-technology industries (chemicals, engineering) are expected to benefit significantly.
  • Key challenges include the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the need for domestic reforms and regulatory clarity in India.

Why It Matters: The India-EU FTA offers significant opportunities for exports and investment but faces challenges like CBAM and regulatory alignment.

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