EU Leaders to be Republic Day Chief Guests as India-EU Trade Talks Advance
EU Leaders to be Republic Day Chief Guests as India-EU Trade Talks Advance
As Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa join Republic Day, India and the EU push toward concluding the FTA and forging a Security and Defence Partnership.
New Delhi: India and Europe are signaling a deepening strategic partnership as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa prepare to be the Republic Day chief guests. Ahead of the India-EU Summit on Tuesday, the two sides plan to unveil a slate of deliverables aimed at boosting trade, investment, security and mobility, and to wrap up negotiations on a free trade agreement that could be signed later this year. The leaders also intend to finalise a Security and Defence Partnership to deepen collaboration on shared challenges.
Von der Leyen wrote on social media that India and Europe have made a clear choice: leveraging our complementary strengths and building mutual resilience to show the fractured world that another path is possible, underscoring the push for a resilient partnership as geo-economic shifts redraw the map of global trade. Jaishankar noted in a social media post that it was a great privilege to host Costa and Von der Leyen, who will join Prime Minister Modi for the India-EU Summit, with deliverables spanning trade, investment, security and mobility, and the formal conclusion of the FTA and Security and Defence Partnership expected later in the year.
Negotiations have moved through last-mile discussions since a restart in 2022 after almost a decade-long pause, with both sides targeting a conclusion by the end of 2025. The summit episodes also reflect the geoeconomic churn driven by US trade policies, as Delhi and Brussels seek to chart a new course through a strategic partnership built on dialogue and openness.
This Republic Day edition of the visit underscores the importance India attaches to its relationship with Europe, as the two sides map a path toward closer economic integration and shared security goals.
