Norway Backs India-EU "Mother Of All Deals": 'Free Trade, Not Barriers'

As India and the European Union move closer to sealing what Brussels described as the "mother of all trade deals," Norway has signalled strong support for deeper economic engagement with New Delhi, even as it stays outside the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) framework. In an exclusive interview with NDTV's Aditya Raj Kaul, Norway's Ambassador to India May-Elin Stener said the impending India-EU FTA would be a historic milestone and would also create positive momentum for India's trade ties with Norway and the broader European region. While Norway is not part of the EU, Stener underlined that her country is part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and already has a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with India, which came into force on October 1. "That was a milestone in our relationship with India," she said, adding that any deal between India and the EU would also mark a significant step in India's relations with Europe.