India-EU Trade Deal: Wine, Olive Oil, Chocolates to Get Cheaper; Key Sectors Protected

• India will significantly reduce tariffs on European agri-food products like wine, olive oil, and processed foods under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU.
• Import duty on EU wine will drop from 150% to 75% initially, then gradually to around 20%; olive oil tariffs (currently up to 45%) will be eliminated within five years.
• Tariffs up to 50% on bread, confectionery, and other processed agri-food products will also be removed, making them cheaper in India.
• Politically and socially sensitive agricultural sectors such as beef, chicken meat, rice, and sugar are fully excluded from tariff concessions to protect domestic farmers.
• The deal maintains strict EU health and food safety standards for all imports, with separate discussions ongoing for Geographical Indications (GI) protection.

Why It Matters: India-EU FTA will make European wine, olive oil, and processed foods cheaper while protecting sensitive domestic agricultural sectors.