India and the European Union (EU) have made "substantial progress" towards concluding a free trade deal, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said at an EU-India summit in New Delhi on Friday.
The EU has been negotiating such a deal with India since 2007. But the talks have snagged on issues such as slashing import tariffs on European cars, and easing visa regulations for Indian professionals.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, speaking alongside Van Rompuy, said he hoped the deal would be concluded at the "very earliest", without giving a timeframe.
