At the very end of November, India and the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union held the first round of negotiations on creating a free trade zone. The press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission reported this, emphasizing that both sides intend to move in an accelerated mode.
The second round has already been scheduled: it is planned for February 2026. At the same time, the EEC expects the negotiation process as a whole to be fairly dynamic, and a free trade agreement may be prepared by the end of next year. This time frame shows that the partners want to quickly fix the political agreement while simultaneously working through the technical details.
What Is Behind the Start of the Talks
India has been steadily expanding its network of trade agreements in Asia and beyond. For the EAEU – which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan – the Indian market is attractive for several reasons: it is a major importer of energy resources and raw materials, a growing consumer market, and a center of IT, pharmaceuticals, and engineering.
For the EAEU, negotiations on a free trade zone with India are also an attempt to diversify economic ties, reduce dependence on traditional export destinations, and strengthen its presence in the South Asian direction. India, in turn, can gain more predictable access to Eurasian resources and to markets for its industrial and high‑tech products.
What the Free Trade Agreement Could Change
A free trade zone primarily implies the reduction or elimination of customs duties for a wide range of products. For businesses, this means easier entry into the partner’s market and lower costs.
For EAEU countries, the most obvious areas are energy and raw material supplies, as well as exports of food products and metal goods. India may strengthen its position in the supply of pharmaceuticals, textiles, machinery and equipment, as well as IT services and engineering solutions.
It is also important that such an agreement creates predictable rules of the game for investors. When tariff and non‑tariff barriers are fixed in an international treaty, companies find it easier to plan long‑term projects — from joint production sites to logistics hubs.
Possible Difficulties and Pitfalls
Even with the declared “accelerated” format, free trade negotiations are rarely simple. The parties will have to agree on lists of sensitive goods for which duties will not be reduced immediately or may not be reduced at all. This usually concerns agriculture, certain types of industrial output, and services where domestic producers are particularly vulnerable.
Another factor is the difference in regulation and technical standards. For the agreement to work fully, mechanisms for mutual recognition of certification will have to be built, and issues related to sanitary and phytosanitary standards will need to be resolved.
Nevertheless, the very fact that the talks have started within clearly defined time frames shows that both India and the EAEU see the prospective free trade zone as a strategic project intended to strengthen their positions in a changing global trade architecture.