(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) India and Slovenia have expressed optimism for the early conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), an official statement said on Wednesday.

Bilateral trade between India and Slovenia has shown a consistent upward trajectory over the past several years, reflecting the growing depth and resilience of the partnership.

In the 10th session of the India–Slovenia Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation (JCTEC) here, government officials reviewed the current state of bilateral economic engagement, strengthen cooperation across key sectors, and charted a forward-looking roadmap for trade and investment between the two nations.

The session was co-chaired by Saket Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Peter Japelj, Director General for Economic, Cultural and Scientific Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia.

Japelj met Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, and held discussion on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“Slovenia's strategic location at the crossroads of Central Europe, coupled with India's expanding engagement with Europe, presents a unique opportunity to bring the regions closer together. This convergence of geographies and interests provides a strong foundation for deepening cooperation in trade, technology, innovation, and connectivity,” according to a Commerce Ministry statement.

The discussions included a comprehensive review of the global and domestic economic landscape, as well as an assessment of bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries.

Sectoral cooperation was explored across agriculture, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, health, transport, energy, tourism, MSMEs, and Ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine, as well as other trade and business-related matters.

According to the ministry, the 10th JCTEC reaffirmed India's commitment to nurturing a dynamic economic partnership with Slovenia, built on mutual trust, shared values, and enduring friendship, laying the groundwork for deeper collaboration across Europe and India.

-IANS

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