Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of Macro | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Post of the Week! | How To Invest
Search Macro
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Best Of Macro | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Post of the Week! | How To Invest
Search Macro


Personal Finance Topics / Macroeconomic Trends and Risks
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (6) |
Post New
Author: OrmontUS   😊 😞
Number: of 3852 
Subject: EU-India Mother of Trade Deals
Date: 01/27/26 6:33 PM
Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 4
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/27/asia/india-eu-t...



The European Union and India agreed a free trade deal Tuesday, the largest such deal ever clinched by either side, as they contend with an erratic trade policy from key trading partner the United States.

“We did it, we delivered the mother of all deals,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive, told reporters in New Delhi.

The agreement will strengthen economic and political ties between the 27-nation bloc and the world’s fourth-largest economy, the commission said in a statement, “at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and global economic challenges, highlighting their joint commitment to economic openness and rules-based trade.”

“We have sent a signal to the world that rules-based cooperation still delivers great outcomes,” von der Leyen said in the statement.

Just recently, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose higher tariffs on the European nations opposing his push to annex Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, though he later backed down from the threats. For the EU as a whole, the United States is its biggest export market.

And in August, Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on India as punishment for importing Russian oil and natural gas, building on a previously announced 25% tariff rate.

The EU and India already trade more than €180 billion ($215 billion) worth of goods and services per year. Trade in goods between the two sides has almost doubled in the last decade.

Jeff
Print the post


Author: Steve203 🐝  😊 😞
Number: of 3852 
Subject: Re: EU-India Mother of Trade Deals
Date: 01/27/26 10:07 PM
Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 1
My take: the EU learned nothing from the US' experience with NAFTA, and "the great sucking sound".

I posted comparative wage information, Mexico vs India, on the Policy board. Indian industrial wages make Mexicans look rich. The EU doesn't think it's industrial base will be hollowed out as companies seek cheaper wages?

Steve
Print the post


Author: jerryab   😊 😞
Number: of 3852 
Subject: Re: EU-India Mother of Trade Deals
Date: 01/27/26 10:21 PM
Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 0
The EU doesn't think it's industrial base will be hollowed out as companies seek cheaper wages?

Some will. However, it depends on the industry. Appropriate tariffs will offset some of it, but it also depends on which industries are expanding in the EU that are either irrational or impractical to relocate. Access to specialized tech may not be available in India--which may not be cost-effective (or even possible) to recreate or expand in India. I have seen that problem when building capital equipment. Locally--available. Elsewhere? NOT much.
Print the post


Author: Steve203 🐝  😊 😞
Number: of 3852 
Subject: Re: EU-India Mother of Trade Deals
Date: 01/27/26 10:39 PM
Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 1

Some will. However, it depends on the industry.

Manufacturing has been moving to Eastern Europe, Poland, Romania, Serbia, for lower wage rates.

Audi built a new plant in Mexico, a few years ago. That plant builds the Q5, for both the US and EU. From 2027, the VW Golf, for EU sale, will be built in Mexico, while VW closes plants and assembly lines in Germany.

Remember the Jeep Renegade? They were final assembled in Melfi, Italy. The automatic transmissions for them were built in Indiana, shipped to Italy, installed in the cars, then shipped back to the US.

I ran some numbers a while back. JLR is building a new plant in India. By the numbers I have seen, it will have enough capacity to replace the entire output of the two Land Rover plants in the UK. The UK and India signed a free trade agreement last summer.

The Indian supply chain may not be as developed as the Mexican chain, yet. I can see the really sophisticated electronics imported from China, and the precision machined parts coming from Europe. Everything assembled by workers making less than $2USD/hr, and the completed cars shipped to Europe. Same with appliances. Same with electronics. Is anyone, outside if high end fashion houses, still making clothes or shoes in Europe?

I expect the EU to have the same experience the US has had, with the same social upheaval.

Steve
Print the post


Author: tjscott0   😊 😞
Number: of 3852 
Subject: Re: EU-India Mother of Trade Deals
Date: 01/29/26 10:03 AM
Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 3
"I posted comparative wage information, Mexico vs India, on the Policy board. Indian industrial wages make Mexicans look rich."

I guess Tim Cook has notice the above too.
https://manufacturingdigital.com/articles/india-be...
According to reports, Tata Electronics will acquire a 60% stake in the plant, with Pegatron retaining a 40% share and providing vital technical support.

Why has this deal generated so much interest? Because its a impactful strategic move for both Tata and Apple.

The development will make India a key manufacturing hub for Apple, with the Tamil Nadu facility employing 10,000 workers and producing about 5 million iPhones annually.

This marks a shift in strategy for Apple, expanding its manufacturing presence in other nations as opposed to China.

It's also a strategic move for Tata Electronics, consolidating its foothold in the iPhone market to rival Foxconn, India's other major iPhone manufacturer.

One of the biggest reasons Apple is expanding in India is to reduce its manufacturing and supply chain resilience on China.

Driving this move is growing geopolitical tensions between China and the US.

Subsidies and tax benefits further make India an attractive option for manufacturers seeking to scale operations.


Low wages AND tax subsidies. Oh my!
Print the post


Author: Dope1   😊 😞
Number: of 3852 
Subject: Re: EU-India Mother of Trade Deals
Date: 02/22/26 11:10 PM
Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 1
Low wages AND tax subsidies. Oh my!

Apple sees India as a large future market...and getting out of China is a good thing.
Print the post


Post New
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (6) |


Announcements
Macroeconomic Trends and Risks FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of Macro | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds