India Wins Big: US Trade Chief Says EU Agreement Favors Delhi

The United States‘ top trade official has indicated that the recently finalized trade agreement between India and the European Union, described as unprecedented in scale, appears to favor New Delhi by offering significantly greater access to the European market.

In an interview with Fox Business, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated that India will “come out on top” of the pact and that New Delhi would “have a heyday” if the agreement is implemented.

Greer added, “So far, I have examined some of the deal’s specifics. To be honest, I believe India wins this. They get more market access into Europe.”

On worker mobility, Greer noted, “It sounds like they have some additional immigration rights,” referring to discussions by EU President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the potential for Indian workers’ mobility into Europe. “Therefore, I believe that India will have a heyday with this,” he added.

Termed the “mother of all deals,” the India-EU free trade agreement creates a combined market of nearly two billion people and introduces a groundbreaking five-year agenda that combines trade and defense cooperation to strengthen the rules-based Global Order. The deal will remove tariffs on 99% of Indian exports to the EU and reduce taxes on over 97% of EU exports to India, representing nearly 25% of global GDP.

Despite the significance of the agreement, Greer appeared to downplay its impact from a US perspective, noting that Europe is increasingly seeking alternative markets due to shifting global trade dynamics and the US focus on local manufacturing and restrictive trade policies under President Trump.

Strategically, Greer explained, “These nations are looking for alternative markets for their excess output since President Trump has prioritized home production and effectively begun charging a fee for other nations to join our market. The EU is so trade dependent, and so the EU is turning to India to try to find a place.”

He concluded that as the European Union continues to “double down on globalization,” the agreement will enhance India’s access to European markets, leveraging the country’s competitive labor costs and economic potential.