EU top leaders to be chief guests at Republic Day; India-EU summit on Jan 27
President of the European Council António Luís Santos da Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations, signalling New Delhi's deepening strategic and economic engagement with Europe.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two EU leaders will pay a state visit to India from January 25 to 27, during which they will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit on January 27, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday.
During the visit, the EU leaders will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be held on the sidelines of the summit, reflecting the growing centrality of trade, investment and supply-chain cooperation in bilateral ties.
India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004, with relations expanding across trade, technology, defence, climate action and global governance. Engagement gained renewed momentum following the visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February 2025.
The summit assumes added significance amid fresh momentum in negotiations for a long-pending India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Senior officials have indicated that political direction has been given to narrow remaining gaps and accelerate talks, raising expectations of substantive progress -- and possibly a breakthrough -- at the summit.
Trade negotiations, revived in 2022 after a decade-long pause, are seen as strategically vital for both sides amid global supply-chain realignments and efforts to reduce over-dependence on single markets. India views the FTA as a gateway to enhanced market access and investment from one of its largest trading blocs, while the EU sees India as a key long-term economic and geopolitical partner.
Officials said the participation of the EU’s two most senior leaders as Republic Day chief guests underscores the intent on both sides to elevate the partnership to a higher political and strategic plane. “The visit and the 16th India–EU summit will further deepen the strategic partnership and advance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest,” the MEA said.
