India, Sept. 9 -- As negotiators from India and the European Union (EU) gather in New Delhi this week, their task of hammering out a free trade agreement (FTA) before the end of the year has acquired greater urgency because of the turbulence affecting the global economic landscape due to the disruptive impact of the tariff policies of the Donald Trump administration. The trade negotiations are finely balanced, with considerable progress made on the less contentious chapters, though quite a lot of ground remains to be covered on more tricky issues such as non-tariff barriers, rules of origin and market access. The EU's trade and agriculture commissioners are expected to give a political push to the negotiations during meetings with their Indian counterparts this week. Such contacts will undoubtedly supplement the efforts of the negotiators. The progress made so far is significant, given that trade talks between India and the EU were suspended for close to a decade before being revived in 2022. It is also significant that the EU has shown appreciation for India's "red lines" in the agriculture and dairy sectors while considering aquaculture exports in light of the impact of US tariffs on India's seafood products. However, the two sides will clearly have to make considerable efforts to reach common ground on the EU's demands regarding market access for automobiles and spirits. The leadership of India and the EU recently threw their weight behind the speedy conclusion of the trade negotiations, and external affairs minister S Jaishankar has spoken of the volatility on the global economic landscape as a compelling reason for deeper cooperation between the two sides. Despite their differences on the situation in Ukraine, India and the EU have acknowledged their growing convergence in other spheres, especially efforts to ensure the Indo-Pacific remains open for commerce and navigation amid China's rising assertiveness across the region. The work being done by the two sides on the trade deal dovetails with their efforts to impart greater strategic substance to their bilateral partnership ahead of the India-EU Summit in 2026. The EU will unveil its vision for a new strategic agenda for the relationship with India this month, and various other meetings planned for the coming weeks will attempt to bolster cooperation in areas such as security and counterterrorism. A refresh of the India-EU relationship has been long overdue and could provide the strategic ballast needed to compensate for the uncertain US presence on the global landscape....