New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hosted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa for high-level summit talks, with India and the European Union poised to announce the conclusion of negotiations on a landmark free trade agreement, alongside key decisions on defence cooperation and a shared strategic vision to address global geopolitical and trade disruptions.
The summit comes at a time of growing uncertainty in global politics, marked by fresh strains in transatlantic ties and shifting US trade and security policies. Ahead of the talks, Costa and von der Leyen paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The two EU leaders were also the chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path on Monday.
“A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure. And we all benefit,” von der Leyen said ahead of the summit, underlining Europe’s emphasis on deepening engagement with New Delhi amid global upheavals.
A major outcome of the talks is the expected announcement of the conclusion of negotiations on the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement, often described as the “mother of all deals.” While negotiations are set to conclude, officials said it could take at least six months to formally sign the agreement, as both sides will undertake detailed legal scrutiny of the text. Trade talks between India and the EU were first launched in 2007, suspended in 2013 due to differences in ambition, and revived in June 2022.
The European Union is India’s largest trading partner in goods. In the financial year 2024–25, bilateral trade in goods stood at around USD 136 billion, with Indian exports worth approximately USD 76 billion and imports at about USD 60 billion. The FTA is expected to significantly expand cooperation across multiple sectors and strengthen overall economic engagement.
Beyond trade, the summit is focused on deepening cooperation in defence and security, climate action, critical technologies, and reinforcing a rules-based international order. India and the EU, strategic partners since 2004, are set to unveil a Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) aimed at enhancing interoperability and expanding collaboration in defence manufacturing. The framework will also open avenues for Indian companies to participate in the EU’s SAFE (Security Action for Europe) programme, a Euro 150 billion financial instrument designed to accelerate defence readiness across member states.
The two sides are also expected to launch negotiations on a Security of Information Agreement (SOIA) to strengthen industrial defence cooperation, and to sign an agreement facilitating the mobility of Indian workers to Europe, providing a structured framework for labour mobility initiatives. Several EU countries, including France, Germany and Italy, already have migration and mobility partnerships with India.
Discussions are also likely to cover pressing global challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war. While India and the EU do not align on all issues, European officials have noted that both sides share core interests in maintaining global stability. President Costa is expected to reiterate Europe’s view that the war in Ukraine poses an existential threat to the continent and has wider implications for the global and Indo-Pacific order.
Officials said the summit reflects the steady upswing in India-EU relations in recent years, as both sides seek to broaden cooperation and navigate an increasingly complex global landscape together.
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