NEW DELHI — Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met Thursday with senior German leaders and policymakers to discuss ways to strengthen India-Germany economic cooperation and advance the broader India-EU trade partnership.
Goyal said the talks focused on improving the business environment, increasing investment flows and expanding cooperation across key sectors, including textiles, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, mobility and manufacturing.
“The discussions focused on strengthening the business environment, enhancing investment flows, and deepening collaboration across key sectors including textiles, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, mobility and manufacturing,” Goyal wrote on X.
He said both sides recognized the significant potential to expand trade, support innovation and build more resilient supply chains through closer cooperation and stronger industry engagement.
The meeting comes as India and the European Union continue work on a proposed free trade agreement. In March, Goyal met Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, on the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Cameroon to review progress on the India-EU FTA.
Goyal said at the time that the two leaders discussed key priorities under the WTO agenda and reviewed the ongoing work toward signing the India-EU agreement, following an announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New Delhi in January 2026.
“Also discussed avenues to further deepen our bilateral economic and trade partnership,” Goyal wrote in an X post after that meeting.
Indian officials have described the proposed agreement as broader than a traditional trade pact, saying it could support cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, defense and semiconductors while improving market access and policy stability.
The government has said the agreement would help make India more attractive for domestic and foreign investment and create opportunities for small businesses, startups and workers.
Goyal has said India has secured expanded market access for more than 99% of its exports to the EU by trade value. He said the deal would support the Make in India initiative and provide a boost to labor-intensive sectors, including textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, marine products, gems and jewelry, handicrafts, engineering goods and automobiles. (Source: IANS)
