India Says Landmark EU Free-Trade Deal Could Be Operational by March 2027

India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated on October 22, 2026 that the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement could become operational in the January-to-March quarter of 2027, four to five months after the agreement is formally signed, which is expected before the end of 2026. The agreement, concluded on January 27, 2026, is the largest trade deal either economy has ever signed. Once in force, 90.7% of Indian exports to the EU will immediately receive duty elimination, with phased reductions covering the remainder over five to ten years. The deal covers goods, services, investment and intellectual property. Legal scrubbing — the final technical review of the agreement's text — was reported to be nearing completion as of mid-2026. The deal is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade, which already exceeded €120 billion annually in 2025. European exporters will similarly gain preferential access to Indian markets across sectors including machinery, chemicals and luxury goods. The announcement came as India continued an aggressive trade-deal signing drive, seeking to diversify export markets amid ongoing global tariff pressures.