India and the European Union concluded their Free Trade Agreement negotiations on 27 January 2026 after nine years. Examine the strategic value of the deal and the residual chapters that remain contested.

Introduction: India-EU FTA negotiations, paused since 2013 and restarted in June 2022 alongside the Trade and Technology Council, concluded on 27 January 2026, creating a trade zone covering 2 billion people.

Body: Three dimensions assess strategic value and residual chapters. First, architecture — the package includes the FTA, an Investment Protection Agreement and a Geographical Indications Agreement; tariff cuts span autos, wines and spirits, and dairy. Second, residual chapters — CBAM equivalence remains contested, the public procurement chapter is incomplete, mode-4 services and the Sustainability and Trade chapter referencing ILO core conventions need ratification compromises. Third, strategic value — the EU is India's largest trading partner at $137.4 billion in goods (2023-24); the FTA buttresses IMEC and counterweights RCEP, which India did not join.

Conclusion: Ratify across 27 EU national parliaments and the European Parliament, sequence CBAM equivalence with India's CCTS and use the Trade and Technology Council for semiconductors and AI governance.