3 Things India-EU FTA, teaching in Bastar, and scammers target devotees
Sep 11, 2025
Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Affairs Editor for The Indian Express, dives into the crucial India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations, highlighting upcoming meetings and the delicate balance of domestic interests. The discussion shifts to the challenges educators face in Maoist-affected Chhattisgarh, where they're caught in a dangerous tug-of-war. Lastly, the episode exposes a troubling trend of online scams targeting devotees of the Tirumala temple, underscoring the need for vigilance against such fraudulent schemes.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Renewed Push For India-EU Free Trade Deal
- The India-EU FTA effort gained fresh momentum after high-level EU visits and a target to conclude negotiations by year-end.
- Negotiators aim to restart talks across many sectors to lock a long-stalled agreement within months.
Wide Coverage With Strategic Exclusions
- The FTA covers goods and services from cars and textiles to wine and skilled mobility.
- India has kept dairy, sugar and rice out of talks while negotiating roughly two dozen chapters.
High-Level Talks To Precede Leaders' Summit
- The first round brings EU trade and agriculture commissioners plus a large negotiating team to Delhi.
- These meetings will prep an India-EU leaders summit planned for early 2026 and span trade, defence, tech and mobility.