India, Slovenia Express Optimism for Early Conclusion of EU FTA

New Delhi- India and Slovenia have voiced strong optimism about the early conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

Bilateral trade between the two nations has steadily increased over the past several years, reflecting the growing strength and resilience of their economic partnership.

During the 10th session of the India–Slovenia Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation (JCTEC), officials reviewed the current status of bilateral economic ties, explored opportunities to deepen collaboration across key sectors, and outlined a forward-looking roadmap for trade and investment.

The session was co-chaired by Saket Kumar, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Peter Japelj, Director General for Economic, Cultural and Scientific Diplomacy at Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Japelj also met Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal for discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation.

The Commerce Ministry noted that Slovenia’s strategic position at the crossroads of Central Europe, combined with India’s deepening engagement with the region, creates a strong platform for expanding cooperation in trade, technology, innovation, and connectivity.

Talks during the session covered global and domestic economic trends, along with a detailed review of bilateral trade and investment flows.

Both sides explored sectoral partnerships in agriculture, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, health, transport, energy, tourism, MSMEs, Ayurveda, and traditional systems of medicine, among other business-related areas.

According to the ministry, the 10th JCTEC reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening its economic partnership with Slovenia—grounded in mutual trust, shared values, and a longstanding friendship—while paving the way for deeper collaboration between India and Europe.

With inputs from IANS