India and the European Union concluded their long-term negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday, and the agreement is expected to boost travel between the two nations.
A statement by the European Commission pointed to one of the biggest pain points for Indian travelers to Europe potentially being removed. “Further modernise and simplify Schengen visa procedures through the upcoming digitalisation of visa procedures, once it enters into operation, while jointly addressing the challenges of visa fraud and document verification,” the statement said.
This could be a major boost for travel to Europe among Indians. In 2024, about 1.1 million Indians submitted requests for visas, but about 15% of the visas were rejected. Long processing times are also a major issue. A focus on digitalization of visa processes could address these pain points.
Europe continues to be a key travel region for India. Indian airlines IndiGo and Air India are