Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly said on July 1 that the European Union hopes to finalize the EU-India Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2026 during Ireland's presidency.
Ambassador Kevin Kelly spoke at the Press Club of India during an event marking the start of Ireland's EU Council presidency. He described India as one of Europe's most important strategic partners and said the presidency programme gives priority to advancing the ambitious EU-India Free Trade Agreement.
Kelly stated, “We are pretty hopeful that this will happen during our presidency and I know there is a lot of work going on in the background to make that happen.” He noted that the agreement had been concluded in January 2026, with final sealing still pending.
The ambassador added that EU-India ties extend beyond trade into areas such as maritime security, digital commerce, research, connectivity and resilient supply chains. He thanked India’s External Affairs Minister for a call with Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee on June 30 to discuss the presidency agenda.
This marks the eighth time Ireland has held the EU presidency.
