Landmark Indo-EU Trade Deal Will Slash Tariffs on Both Sides by Over 95 Percent; BJP Faces Upper Caste Groups' Ire Over New UGC Rules; No More New H-1B Interview Dates Left in 2026
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January 27, 2026
Sidharth Bhatia
Following the conclusion of negotiations that first began in 2007, India and the EU unveiled details of their free trade agreement today during European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Council president Antonio Costa’s visit to New Delhi: according to Brussels 96.6% of European goods exports by value will see reduced or zero Indian tariffs by 2032 – and help double two-way trade – while New Delhi said that EU concessions would apply to some 99.5% of Indian exports by trade value. Among the Indian exports on which tariffs would be eliminated include textiles, leather, footwear, marine exports and gems and jewellery, while European breads and confectionaries, wines, olive oil, cars and car parts will benefit from the deal. Both sides left out certain sensitive agricultural products from the remit of the deal, which Reuters reports citing sources will go through legal vetting for up to six months before being formally signed. Brussels, whose Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has been a point of contention for Raisina Hill, has separately agreed to invest €500 million in India over the next two years to aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The two sides arrived at their landmark agreement amid – and perhaps in light of – Washington’s unprecedented tariff policies, with the White House’s 25% ‘penalty’ levy on India for its purchases of Russian oil remaining in place. Speaking of which, Reuters reports that French authorities have detained the Indian captain of a vessel suspected of being part of Moscow’s shadow fleet that facilitates its crude oil exports after intercepting it in the Mediterranean.
The ‘Zeliangrong United Front’ Naga armed group claimed responsibility for burning homes and farmhouses in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Monday, saying that it had “intensified its decisive campaign against illegal poppy cultivation, narcotics trafficking and encroachment by illegal immigrants” – all of which are in the remit of the state. The incident has triggered tensions in the predominantly Kuki-Zo district, reports PTI.
There are currently no new H-1B visa stamping dates available for the remainder of this calendar year, with new interview slots now being deferred until 2027, thereby disrupting travel arrangements for Indian professionals employed in the United States. Immigration attorney Emily Neumann mentioned in a post on X that she has not observed any new visa interview slots opening for India in the last 50 days. She cautioned H-1B visa holders presently in the US against traveling to India for stamping. “They are not in any hurry to give you a visa. They are trying to deny visas whenever they can. It is a completely different world from what we saw during the Biden administration. This administration does not want to give you a visa,” Neumann stated.
In what could be considered an extremely shocking statistic, it is being established that one Indian was being caught and prosecuted every 20 minutes in the US for trying to enter the country illegally along the conflicting border.
