India and the EU have agreed to finalize a long-pending free trade deal by the end of 2024, aiming to strengthen ties in trade, technology, and defense.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized their shared democratic values and strategic partnership.

The deal, which would be the largest of its kind, gains urgency amid potential U.S. tariffs on EU goods.

Talks resumed in 2021 but face hurdles over market access issues, the Associated Press has reported.

The EU remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $130 billion in 2023-24.

Written by B.C. Begley