European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will make a significant three-day state visit to India. Their visit runs from January 25 to January 27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally invited both leaders.
Republic Day and High-Level Meetings
The two European leaders will serve as the chief guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. This is a major diplomatic honor. During their stay, they have a packed schedule of official engagements.
President Droupadi Murmu will formally receive them. They will also hold talks with Prime Minister Modi. These discussions will include both restricted one-on-one meetings and larger delegation-level talks. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed these plans.
16th India-EU Summit and Business Forum
A central event of the visit is the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27. Presidents Costa and von der Leyen will co-chair this summit with Indian leadership. The summit aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and the European Union.
On the sidelines, an India-EU Business Forum is also planned. This forum will bring together senior policymakers and leading business figures from both sides. It is designed to foster economic collaboration and explore new opportunities.
Deepening a Strategic Partnership
India and the EU have been strategic partners since 2004. Cooperation has grown steadily across multiple areas. These include trade, technology, climate action, and addressing shared geopolitical challenges.
The last summit, the 15th India-EU Summit, took place virtually in July 2020. Bilateral ties gained fresh momentum after a historic visit by the EU College of Commissioners to India in February 2025. The MEA stated that having the EU's top leadership as Republic Day chief guests, combined with the summit, will significantly deepen the strategic partnership. It will also push collaboration in key priority areas of mutual interest.
Focus on Free Trade Agreement Negotiations
The high-profile visit occurs at a crucial juncture for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal provided a recent update. He said that negotiators have already finalized 20 out of the 24 chapters in the proposed FTA.
Talks are actively continuing on the remaining issues. Officials from both sides are engaged in near-daily discussions. They are working hard to meet timelines ahead of the leaders' meeting in January.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's recent trip to Brussels is seen as a key step. His visit helped advance the FTA negotiations. It adds substantial economic substance to what promises to be a major diplomatic engagement.
This visit underscores the importance both India and the European Union place on their relationship. It combines ceremonial honor with serious diplomatic and economic dialogue, setting the stage for enhanced future cooperation.
