India-EU Free Trade Agreement : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) in Gothenburg on 17 May 2026, marking a significant moment in strengthening India-Europe economic engagement. The high-level interaction, hosted by the Volvo Group, brought together Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, along with senior industry leaders from Europe and India.
In his keynote address, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the growing strategic convergence between India and Europe and highlighted the importance of trusted global partnerships in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment. A major highlight of the speech was the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, which he described as a transformative milestone in bilateral economic relations.
India-EU Free Trade Agreement as a Transformative Milestone
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on the landmark India-EU Free Trade Agreement, calling it a defining step toward deeper economic integration. He stated that the India Trade Agreement will unlock new opportunities in trade, technology, manufacturing, services, and resilient global supply chains. He further stressed that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement represents a long-term framework for sustainable and mutually beneficial growth between both regions.
Strengthening India-Europe Economic Partnership
Reinforcing the vision behind the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s emergence as a leading global destination for investment, innovation, and manufacturing. He pointed to rapid economic growth, ease of doing business reforms, expanding digital infrastructure, and strong industrial ecosystems as key drivers supporting the India-EU Free Trade Agreement framework.
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He also referenced connectivity initiatives such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), noting that such projects further enhance the strategic relevance of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement by improving trade linkages and supply chain resilience.
Focus on Technology, Energy, and Manufacturing
Prime Minister Modi invited European companies to expand their participation in India’s growth journey under the vision of “Design for India, Make in India, and Export from India.” He emphasized that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will play a crucial role in boosting collaboration in key sectors including semiconductors, AI, telecom, clean energy, green hydrogen, infrastructure, and healthcare.
He further underlined that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will help both sides build diversified and secure supply chains in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
Talent, Innovation, and Future Cooperation
Highlighting India’s young and skilled workforce, Prime Minister Modi stressed the importance of talent mobility, education partnerships, and innovation exchange between India and Europe. He noted that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement would serve as a catalyst for deeper people-to-people connections and technological collaboration.
Institutionalizing India-Europe Business Dialogue
Prime Minister Modi also proposed an annual India-Europe CEOs Roundtable and the establishment of an India Desk at ERT to strengthen continuous engagement. He reiterated that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will serve as a cornerstone for long-term industrial cooperation and sustainable global partnerships.
The event reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Europe to deepen economic ties, advance innovation-led growth, and build resilient global value chains anchored by the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.