New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) India is optimistic of an early conclusion of free trade talks with the 27-nation economic bloc European Union, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said Monday.
Conclusion of the agreement would send a strong message to the global community and would also give an impetus to the Doha round of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks, Sharma said after meeting EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht in Brussels.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction on the status of the ongoing trade talks and agreed on a road-map which will enable early conclusion of the negotiations, the commerce ministry said in a statement here.
‘A joint ministerial statement will be presented to the leaders at the India-EU Summit to be held in Brussels Dec 10.’
India started talks in June 2007 for a broad-based free trade agreement with the EU.
The European Union is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade touching $70 billion last year and a conclusion of the agreement is likely to boost trade and investment flows.
