New Delhi, Dec. 19 -- As negotiations between India and the European Union on a long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) enter a "decisive phase," Netherlands Foreign Minister David van Weel has underscored the growing importance of such pacts with like-minded partners amid global trade uncertainties.

In an interview with ANI on Friday, David van Weel, who is on a three-day visit to India, said that the global trade environment is becoming increasingly challenging, making closer economic cooperation essential. "FTAs with like-minded partners now are more critical than ever," he said, pointing to disruptions in global trade and the need to diversify supply chains.

"We see a world where trade is becoming increasingly difficult, where count...