
India-EU FTA credit positive for India; to boost manufacturing, attract foreign investment: Moody's
The Hindu
Moody's says the India-EU FTA will enhance India's manufacturing, attract investment, and boost export competitiveness through lower tariffs.
The India-EU free trade pact will be credit positive for India as lower tariffs and better market access will help attract foreign investment, boost manufacturing and boost export competitiveness of the labour intensive sector, Moody's Ratings has said.
India and the European Union on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) had announced the conclusion of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), described as 'mother of all deals', under which 93% of Indian shipments will enjoy duty-free access to the 27-nation bloc, while import of luxury cars and wines from the EU will become less expensive.
The deal, concluded after negotiations spanning about two decades, will create a market of about 2 billion people across the world's fourth-largest economy, India, and the second-largest economic bloc, the EU.
In a commentary, Moody's Ratings said India's conclusion of its trade negotiations with the EU reflects its continued efforts to selectively diversify trade relationships.
"When in effect, the FTA will be credit positive, with lower tariffs and better market access supporting India’s ambition to develop its manufacturing sector, attract foreign investment, and strengthen the export competitiveness of its labour intensive goods," Moody's said on Wednesday (January 28, 2026).
The free trade pact is expected to be formally signed and implemented this year.

The U.S. has launched two investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 against India and other economies to examine practices that may be ‘unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce’. One probe examines whether countries, including India, are using excess manufacturing capacity to export to the U.S. in a manner that hurts American businesses, while another looks at whether countries have taken ‘sufficient steps’ to prohibit imports of goods produced with forced labour.












