The meeting brought together representatives from leading industry organisations, including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
Sharing details of the interaction through a post on X, Piyush Goyal said the discussions centred on how the India-EU FTA could create new opportunities for Indian industries and provide tangible benefits to businesses, MSMEs, and citizens.
The engagement followed the third India-EU Business Roundtable held on Wednesday, which was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada. The roundtable focused on strengthening the India-Europe partnership through expanded trade and investment cooperation, with the proposed Free Trade Agreement emerging as a key area of discussion.
In a separate post on X, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he met Matthias Diependaele and Adrien Dolimont, the Minister-Presidents of Flanders and Wallonia, along with business representatives from India and Europe.
Jaishankar said the discussions reflected strong interest in expanding cooperation across business, investment, and research and development sectors. He highlighted the growing confidence in the India-Europe partnership and stressed the importance of the proposed India-EU FTA in achieving its full potential.
Commenting on the Business Roundtable, Piyush Goyal said the discussions demonstrated a shared commitment to strengthening economic relations through increased cooperation in trade, investment, technology, and innovation, while identifying new opportunities for business partnerships.
During his engagements in Brussels, Jaishankar also met European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva to discuss collaboration in clean and green energy technologies, innovation hubs, startups, and India’s association with Horizon Europe.
He also held discussions with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela on enhancing cooperation in connectivity, trilateral partnerships, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and green shipping.
The high-level engagements in Brussels underline the growing momentum behind India-Europe economic cooperation, with the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement positioned as a significant step towards expanding trade, investment, innovation, and long-term strategic partnerships between the two regions.
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