THE HINDU DATED 09TH FABRUARY 2026

Summary of Important News Items and Editorials-99

THE HINDU DATED 09TH FABRUARY 2026.

1. India, EU close in on FTA as negotiations conclude

The lead story reports that India and the European Union have essentially wrapped up negotiations for a long-pending Free Trade Agreement. Officials say only “legal scrubbing” and translation into EU languages remain before ratification. The pact covers tariffs on industrial and farm goods, services, investment, public procurement and some digital-trade rules. India expects better access for textiles, leather, pharma and IT professionals, while the EU seeks lower duties on autos, wines, spirits and high-end machinery plus stronger disciplines on regulation and intellectual property. The political logic is clear: both sides want to reduce over-dependence on China and stabilise supply chains in a fracturing world economy. New Delhi is selling the deal as proof of India’s attractiveness as a large, rules-based market; Brussels frames it as a strategic partnership with a key Indo-Pacific democracy. Gist: the FTA is projected as an economic and geopolitical milestone, though domestic distributional impacts remain contested.

2. “Fighting formation”: display of Indian air power