"Indicates both parties interested in striking deal": Foreign expert Waiel Awwad on EU delegation visit

New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): Foreign Expert Waiel Awwad, in relation to the visit of the President of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Sunday that the visit signals a strong interest from both parties to strike a mutually beneficial deal.
Awwad further said that the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union would generate a "lot of jobs for Indians."
Speaking to ANI, he said, "It is a very important visit to India as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations, clearly indicating that both parties are interested in striking a deal which will be beneficial for both sides. When the Prime Minister says he understands the impact of the deal if there is a Free Trade Agreement to be signed and we can see that a lot of jobs will be generated for Indians."
Awwad further told ANI that even the European Union (EU) understands the importance of India as a trade partner, when US President Donald Trump is threatening both sides with tariffs. The foreign expert said that India is trying to strike a parallel deal with the US, despite, according to him, being in a "very tight spot".
He said, "The EU understands the importance of India as a trade partner. India also understands this especially when President Trump has been threatening both sides of tariffs. Having said that, India is trying to strike a parallel deal with the United States, despite the fact that it is in a very tight spot."
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, along with European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, will serve as chief guests at India's 77th Republic Day celebrations on Monday. The visit will be followed by the India-EU summit and the formalisation of a trade agreement.
Von der Leyen arrived in the national capital on Saturday on a state visit and was received by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada.
Speaking earlier this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Von der Leyen said, "We are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement (with India)." Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has described the proposed free trade agreement as "the mother of all deals", as New Delhi and Brussels look to expand market access amid tightening global trade conditions driven by US tariffs and Chinese export restrictions.
India and the European Union have both been impacted by the trade approach of US President Donald Trump. India faces tariff rates of up to 50 per cent on certain exports to the United States, while the EU is yet to ratify a trade arrangement with Washington that has been criticised as imbalanced.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has described India as "indispensable" to Europe's economic and strategic future. The 27-nation bloc has also advanced a new security and defence partnership with India.
Together, India and the European Union represent around a quarter of the global population and gross domestic product. According to EU data, bilateral trade in goods reached 120 billion euros in 2024, up nearly 90 per cent over the past decade, while trade in services amounted to an additional 60 billion euros. (ANI)