{"id":58705,"date":"2026-02-18T07:38:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T11:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/eu-india-trade-deal-gains-momentum-as-finlands-orpo-meets-modi-bat-reaffirms-fy26-outlook\/58705\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T07:38:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T11:38:28","slug":"eu-india-trade-deal-gains-momentum-as-finlands-orpo-meets-modi-bat-reaffirms-fy26-outlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/eu-india-trade-deal-gains-momentum-as-finlands-orpo-meets-modi-bat-reaffirms-fy26-outlook\/58705\/","title":{"rendered":"EU-India Trade Deal Gains Momentum as Finland\u2019s Orpo Meets Modi; BAT Reaffirms FY26 Outlook"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA)<\/strong> is moving toward implementation with <strong>no obstacles<\/strong> reported following last week\u2019s European Council meeting.<\/li>\n<li>Finland\u2019s Prime Minister <strong>Petteri Orpo<\/strong> emphasized the need for <strong>free trade over tariffs<\/strong>, noting the deal could <strong>double EU exports<\/strong> to India by 2032.<\/li>\n<li>Indian Prime Minister <strong>Narendra Modi<\/strong> reportedly stressed his ongoing efforts to find <strong>solutions to the Ukraine crisis<\/strong> during bilateral talks.<\/li>\n<li>British American Tobacco (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTI\">BTI<\/a>) reaffirmed its <strong>FY26 guidance<\/strong>, though it expects performance to sit at the <strong>lower end of its 3-5% revenue growth<\/strong> range.<\/li>\n<li>The landmark trade deal will significantly slash Indian import duties, including a reduction in <strong>car tariffs from 110% to 10%<\/strong> over the next decade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>EU-India Trade Deal and Diplomatic Breakthrough<\/h2>\n<p>Finland\u2019s Prime Minister <strong>Petteri Orpo<\/strong> confirmed today that the <strong>EU-India Free Trade Agreement<\/strong> is seeing strong support across the European Council. Speaking after a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister <strong>Narendra Modi<\/strong>, Orpo stated that European leaders were &quot;very pleased&quot; with the progress made last week. The deal, which concluded negotiations in late January 2026, is viewed as a critical hedge against <em>rising global protectionism and volatile trade relations.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The agreement is expected to provide unprecedented market access, eliminating or reducing tariffs on <strong>96.6% of EU goods exports<\/strong> to India. For European manufacturers, the deal is particularly significant as it addresses long-standing barriers in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors. <em>Industry analysts suggest the removal of car part tariffs within a decade will give European auto giants a substantial competitive edge in the world&#39;s most populous market.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Geopolitical Stance on Ukraine<\/h2>\n<p>During their high-level discussions in New Delhi, the two leaders also addressed the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe. Prime Minister Orpo made the <strong>Finnish and European positions clear<\/strong>, advocating for continued support for Ukraine and increased <strong>pressure on Russia<\/strong> to achieve a lasting peace. In response, PM Modi indicated that India is actively <strong>working towards finding solutions<\/strong> to the crisis, maintaining its role as a potential mediator.<\/p>\n<p>This diplomatic exchange occurs as Finland and India seek to deepen their <strong>Strategic Partnership<\/strong>, specifically in the realms of <strong>digitalization, AI, and sustainability<\/strong>. Orpo\u2019s visit, accompanied by a delegation of <strong>22 Finnish companies<\/strong>, highlights the growing economic synergy between the two nations. <em>The focus on &quot;sovereign AI&quot; and trusted digital infrastructure remains a cornerstone of this evolving bilateral relationship.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>British American Tobacco Financial Outlook<\/h2>\n<p>In the corporate sector, British American Tobacco (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTI\">BTI<\/a>) provided a financial update today at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) Conference. The company reaffirmed its <strong>FY26 guidance<\/strong>, targeting <strong>3-5% revenue growth<\/strong> on a constant-currency basis. However, management signaled that performance is currently tracking toward the <strong>lower end of that range<\/strong> as the company continues its multi-year business transformation.<\/p>\n<p>British American Tobacco (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTI\">BTI<\/a>) also projected <strong>4-6% adjusted profit growth<\/strong> from operations and <strong>5-8% adjusted diluted EPS growth<\/strong>. The tobacco giant is increasingly relying on its &quot;New Categories&quot; segment, which includes smokeless products like <strong>Vuse<\/strong> and <strong>Velo<\/strong>. As of late 2025, these products accounted for <strong>18.2% of the group&#39;s \u00a325.6 billion revenue<\/strong>, with a long-term goal for smokeless products to deliver <strong>50% of total revenue by 2035<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is moving toward implementation with no obstacles reported following last week\u2019s European Council 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