Foreign News
India-EU FTA Key To Unlocking India-Ireland Potential
Remember Saving Private Ryan, that iconic film by Steven Spielberg about the D-Day landings in World War II? Or Mel Gibson’s Scottish historical Braveheart? Or even Star Wars: The Last Jedi?
All were filmed in Ireland and if Kevin Kelly has his way, it’s about time Bollywood shot films in his homeland. As Ireland’s ambassador to India, Kelly has no doubt his country’s dramatic landscapes, coastlines and mountains offer compelling locations for any film producer and of course there would be attractive incentives for international productions.
In an interview with StratNews Global on The Gist, Kelly acknowledged inconveniences in the form of no direct air connectivity. But he was confident that could be remedied within a year once the India-EU FTA is finalised and comes into force.
As president of the Council of the European Union, Ireland has an interest in seeing the successful conclusion of the FTA. Negotiations, he noted, have entered their final phase, with both sides carrying out legal scrutiny. He hoped the deal would come into force before the end of Ireland’s presidency on December 31, 2026.
The economic potential, he argued, is immense. Ireland already accounts for around €17 billion in trade with India, roughly a tenth of the EU’s trade with the country, but he believes the agreement could significantly expand commerce, particularly in goods, while creating new opportunities for businesses on both sides.
“The sky is the limit,” Kelly remarked, adding that the real challenge would begin after the agreement is signed. Implementation, he said, would require governments and businesses across Europe and India to understand and fully utilise the opportunities created by the pact.
He praised India’s diplomatic outreach across Europe in preparing businesses for the agreement and said European countries must undertake similar efforts to build confidence and dispel misconceptions.
“In a time of international turbulence, you need friends,” he observed, adding that Europe increasingly sees India as a reliable democratic partner, just as India recognises Europe as a dependable strategic ally.
The FTA, he believes, will make legal mobility easier while helping both sides manage migration in an orderly manner.
He highlighted mobility as a significant pillar of the agreement. Skilled Indian professionals will be required as European societies age. Ireland has already seen growing numbers of Indian students and professionals in sectors such as IT, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and business.
He was hopeful Irish universities would deepen partnerships with Indian institutions, establish joint programmes and encourage more Irish students to study in India.
On visas, he noted that while Ireland is outside the Schengen system, the embassy in New Delhi processes around 65,000 visas annually for Indian travellers. Owing to the Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom, eligible travellers can move between Ireland and the UK under existing arrangements, although Ireland maintains its own visa regime.
Tune in for more in this conversation with Kevin Kelly, Ireland’s Ambassador to India.
