Ahead of key Delhi summit, EU leaders to begin India visit; to be chief guests at Republic Day function

Ahead of the 16th EU-India Summit next week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has embarked on a four-day visit to India to strengthen a range of initiatives to significantly expand ties.

European Council President Antonio Costa and Ms von der Leyen will hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on January 27, 2026, at a time when global concerns are growing about disruptions caused by the Trump administration’s economic and security policies.

Mr. Costa will land in the national capital on Sunday, January 225, 2026. The two European Union leaders will grace the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 as chief guests.

At the summit, India and the EU will announce the outcome of the much-awaited free trade agreement and create a strategic defense partnership agreement and a framework for mobility of Indian professionals.

Union Minister Jitin Prasada welcomed Ms von der Leyen at the airport.

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“We are planning the next phase of the India-EU Strategic partnership. A warm welcome to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen during her State Visit to India,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on the ‘X’ programme.

“India and the EU, the world’s two largest democracies, share a partnership based on mutual trust and common values,” he added.

Relations between India and the EU have been on the rise over the last few years.

The EU as a bloc is India’s largest trading partner in goods. India’s total trade in goods with the EU for fiscal year 2024-25 was worth approximately $136 billion; exports were approximately 76 billion dollars and imports were 60 billion dollars.