EU leaders arrive in India ahead of summit with PM Modi; FTA, mobility talks in focus

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with Union MoS Jitin Prasada in New Delhi.

• EU leaders arrive in India for the 16th India-EU Summit and Republic Day events
• FTA, defence, clean energy, and mobility agreements to be key summit topics
• India-EU to endorse a 5-year strategic agenda and deepen economic partnership

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in New Delhi on Saturday, while European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa is expected on Sunday, ahead of the 16th India-EU Summit and Republic Day celebrations, where both leaders will be chief guests.

As India and the European Union seek to advance and potentially conclude negotiations on the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said trade and mobility agreements with partner countries were opening up new global opportunities for India’s youth.

"Today, the Government of India is signing trade and mobility agreements with many countries. These trade agreements are bringing numerous new opportunities for the youth of India," PM Modi said while addressing the government’s 18th Rozgar Mela online on Saturday.

PM Modi will host the India-EU Summit on January 27, with trade, defence, clean energy, technology and people-to-people ties set to dominate discussions. Alongside the FTA, the two sides are expected to launch a new cooperation framework on mobility covering students, researchers, seasonal workers and highly skilled professionals to support Indian talent going to Europe.

Von der Leyen, a former German defence minister, is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday as part of preparations for the summit. Both EU leaders will be accorded a guard of honour during their visit.

Welcoming von der Leyen, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the visit would help shape the next phase of ties between New Delhi and Brussels.

"Charting the next phase of the India-EU strategic partnership. A warm welcome to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on her State Visit to India," he said in a post on X. "As the world’s two largest democracies, India and the EU share a partnership rooted in mutual trust and shared values."

The summit would focus on deepening cooperation across trade, security, defence, clean energy and supply chains. India and the EU are also expected to formalise a security and defence partnership aimed at strengthening defence industrial collaboration and strategic coordination.

The leaders are likely to endorse a comprehensive strategic agenda for the next five years, covering economic relations, sustainability, technology and global challenges. A joint statement outlining the outcomes of the summit is expected at the conclusion of the talks.

The European Union is India’s largest trading partner in goods. In 2024-25, bilateral trade stood at around $136 billion, with Indian exports valued at about $76 billion and imports at $60 billion.

Highlighting broader economic trends, PM Modi said rising global confidence in India was translating into jobs and growth. "The way the world’s trust in India is increasing today is creating many new possibilities for the youth," he said, adding that higher foreign direct investment meant "countless opportunities for employment".