India, EU set for 7th round of free-trade talks next month

India and the European Union will hold the seventh round of negotiations for a free trade pact in mid-February, covering services and investments. Progress has been made in 18 out of 23 policy areas, and the two sides have resolved differences to prepare for the next round of talks. The EU wants India to remove trade barriers for smaller firms and open up services and public procurement markets. However, India will protect sensitive sectors such as MSMEs, agriculture, and dairy. The comprehensive deal with the EU will take more time compared to recent trade pacts with Australia and the UAE.