New Delhi [India], April 11 (ANI): The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations have gained momentum, with both sides aiming to conclude a substantial deal by the end of the year, Herve Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, said on Friday.

He further said that following high-level visits and leadership engagement, negotiations have intensified.

While speaking with ANI on the sidelines of Carnegie Global Tech Summit about India-EU FTA, Delphin said, 'Well, you know that the two sides are right into the negotiation phase and after the visit of the College of the Commission, the two leaders really mobilised and decided to take it forward with more energy and more momentum and instructed the two teams to get the FTA done by the end of the year, and I think there is a good momentum. We saw it in the last negotiating round that took place in Europe.'

He added, 'In the negotiating round, there are constant contacts between the two chief negotiators, the Commissioner from the European side and Piyush Goyal. There are difficult issues to discuss, no doubt about that, but I think the resolve of the political level to address them is there. So, we are very confident that we are going to get a substantial FTA by the end of the year.'

Notably, India-EU FTA negotiations were formally re-launched on June 17, 2022, following the India-EU Leaders announcement in Porto on May 8, 2021. Negotiations cover 23 policy areas/chapters. Several rounds of negotiations have been held by far.

On the EU-US trade impact due to President Donald Trump's tariffs, Delphin said, 'The US put their tariffs on poles, and likewise, the President of the Commission (European Commission) has said that we will put on post mode also the countermeasures that were envisaged. So, I think there is space now for negotiation and discussion, and I think that we hope to find a solution to these issues in a productive manner.'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday stated that the EU will pause its countermeasures against the US tariffs for 90 days to give 'negotiations a chance.' She further warned that countermeasures will kick in if 'negotiations are not satisfactory.'

Sharing a post on X, von der Leyen wrote, 'We took note of the announcement by President Trump. We want to give negotiations a chance. While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days.'

'If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in. Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues. As I have said before, all options remain on the table,' the post added. (ANI)