EU leaders arrive in India for Republic Day, 16th India-EU Summit

New Delhi, Jan 24: New Delhi on Saturday extended a warm welcome to senior European Union leaders as they arrived in the country for a high-profile State Visit, underlining the next phase of the India–EU Strategic Partnership. In a message posted on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal  said the visit marked an important moment in “charting the next phase of the India–EU Strategic Partnership.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was received on arrival by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada. The MEA noted that as the world’s two largest democracies, India and the European Union share a partnership “rooted in mutual trust and shared values.” Earlier in the day, the MEA also welcomed the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, on her first official visit to India.

The ministry said the visit comes at an opportune time to further strengthen ties, building on the momentum of regular high-level engagements between the two sides.

European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are on a State Visit to India from January 25 to 27, 2026, during which they will serve as Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations. As part of the visit, the two leaders will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit on January 27. An India–EU Business Forum will also be organised on the sidelines of the summit.

Apart from ceremonial engagements, meetings with the President and PM, the visit is expected to focus on advancing long-pending free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between India and the EU. The talks come at a challenging geopolitical moment for India and Europe, as both sides look to deepen economic and strategic cooperation. Media reports suggest that an announcement on the proposed trade deal could be made as early as January 27, when leaders from both sides meet at the summit. European Commission President von der Leyen and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have previously described the agreement as the “mother of all deals,” reflecting the significance of negotiations that have stretched nearly two decades.

If concluded, the pact would be India’s ninth free trade agreement in the last four years, following deals with the UK, Oman, New Zealand and others.  India–EU relations date back to 1962, when India became one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the European Economic Community. The relationship was broadened through the 1994 Cooperation Agreement, introducing ministerial-level meetings and structured political dialogue. Today, ties are guided by the ‘India–EU Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025’, adopted at the 2020 summit, along with leaders’ statements issued in 2021 and most recently in February 2025 following the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India.

India and the EU have been strategic partners since 2004, with cooperation expanding across trade, technology, climate action, connectivity and security. Officials said the participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the Republic Day celebrations and the convening of the 16th India–EU Summit are expected to further deepen the partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest. India is currently on track to cross the $4 trillion GDP mark, overtaking Japan this year, adding further economic weight to its engagement with the European Union.