PM Modi Affirms Support for EU Trade Deal and IMEEC

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's commitment to completing talks for a free trade agreement with the European Union by the end of the year, during a meeting with CEOs in Cyprus. Modi also expressed optimism about the proposed India-European Union free trade agreement, stating that it would give a major boost to trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. The Prime Minister's statements come as negotiations between India and the EU have picked up pace, with the next round of talks scheduled to take place from July 7.

Key Takeaways:

• PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to completing talks for a free trade agreement with the European Union by the end of the year.
• The proposed India-European Union free trade agreement will cover 23 chapters, including gender and sustainability.
• The next round of negotiations between India and the EU is scheduled to take place from July 7.
• India's chief negotiator L Satya Srinivas stated that momentum has picked up in the talks and the frequency of meetings has increased.
• The trade deal is proposed to be comprehensive, with a target completion date of December instead of an initial tranche by July.
• The agreement with the UK is nearing completion and is expected to be signed soon.

Statistics:

• Talks for the India-EU free trade agreement have been ongoing for nearly two decades.
• The proposed trade deal will cover 23 chapters, including gender and sustainability.
• India's chief negotiator L Satya Srinivas stated that the frequency of meetings between India and the EU has increased, with negotiations now being held every quarter.
• The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place from July 7.
• The trade deal is proposed to be comprehensive, with a target completion date of December.

Sources:

• The Times of India
• Ministry of External Affairs (India) statement
• Interviews with participants in the meeting with PM Modi