India–EU trade deal and the multimodal opportunity ahead
The announcement of the India–EU trade agreement is a significant moment for global trade, not just in scale, but in what it signals about where trade is heading.
At a time of geopolitical uncertainty and shifting alliances, this deal reflects a clear move towards diversification, regionalisation and more resilient trade partnerships. For businesses and governments alike, the focus is no longer on single markets or linear routes, but on building trade systems that can adapt, reroute and recover as conditions change.
For supply chains, this has direct implications.
As trade between India and Europe expands, demand will grow not only for capacity, but for reliability, optionality and end-to-end connectivity. Traditional port-to-port models will struggle to absorb this growth on their own. The real differentiator will be the ability to integrate marine services seamlessly with ports, inland terminals, rail and road, designing corridors that perform under pressure.
This is where multimodal transport solutions becomes critical.
At Marine Services, we see this agreement as reinforcing a structural shift already underway. India’s export growth, combined with Europe’s demand for diversified sourcing, will require logistics solutions that extend beyond mainline shipping, including coastal shipping and feedering, inland connectivity and digital visibility across the full journey.
Our focus is therefore on enabling trade flows, not just moving cargo.
By embedding marine services within integrated, multimodal networks, we can help stabilise emerging corridors, support faster recovery when disruption occurs, and unlock new routes to market, while also enabling more sustainable outcomes through modal shift and better use of infrastructure.
The India–EU agreement underscores a broader reality: the next phase of global trade will favour those who integrate, not isolate. It is not about choosing one market over another, but about building systems that give customers confidence in an increasingly complex world.
As this agreement moves towards implementation, collaboration across industry and government will be essential. DP World’s Marine Services business stands ready to play its role, connecting markets, strengthening corridors and supporting resilient, inclusive and sustainable global trade.
“The announcement of the India–EU trade agreement reinforces a clear shift towards more regional, resilient trade flows. Capturing its full value will depend on integrated, multimodal transport solutions that extend beyond traditional port-to-port models.”Ganesh Raj said.
