“Free Trade, Not Tariffs, Is...”: Germany’s Envoy Signals Breakthrough at EU-India Summit

New Delhi is set to host a historic diplomatic moment as the top leadership of the European Union arrives as chief guests for India’s Republic Day, followed immediately by a crucial India–EU Summit that could redefine the partnership between the two sides. At the heart of the visit is the long-pending EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and Germany’s Ambassador to India, Dr. Philipp Ackermann, says there is reason for optimism. In an exclusive interview to NDTV’s Senior Executive Editor Aditya Raj Kaul, Dr. Ackermann described the visit of the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council as “a first in a way” and “a huge honour,” underlining the political symbolism of the moment. “It will show how strong and close the partnership between the EU and India has become,” he said, adding that Europeans are “very, very happy about it and excited.” On the much-anticipated FTA, the German envoy struck a hopeful but cautious note. “I think we can be cautiously optimistic that something like the FTA will be announced,” he said, pointing to encouraging signals from Brussels and the EU delegation in New Delhi. If announced, he called it “a game changer in EU-India relations,” one that the German business community is watching closely because it would “increase their business in India, no doubt.”