European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday underscored the growing importance of ties between India and the European Union, describing their partnership as a constructive alternative to the conflict-driven and fragmented global order. She said deeper cooperation between New Delhi and Brussels could help address global instability marked by wars, protectionism and political uncertainty.
In her first public message after arriving in the Indian capital, von der Leyen emphasised the values of dialogue, openness and strategic alignment. Writing on X, she said India and Europe had consciously chosen a path of strategic partnership that leverages their complementary strengths, builds mutual resilience and demonstrates that cooperation remains possible even in a fractured world.
Her four-day visit to India comes ahead of the 16th India–EU Summit scheduled later this week and is being viewed as a key moment in strengthening political, economic and strategic engagement between the two sides. Diplomats see the visit as laying the groundwork for a more structured and ambitious phase in India–EU relations.
As part of the visit, von der Leyen, accompanied by the President of the European Council, will attend India’s Republic Day parade as the chief guest, a symbolic honour reflecting the growing weight of the India–EU partnership. She was received on arrival by Union Minister Jitin Prasada, while the Ministry of External Affairs described the visit as a milestone in bilateral ties.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the visit would help chart the next phase of the India–EU Strategic Partnership. He noted that as the world’s two largest democratic blocs, India and the EU share a relationship grounded in mutual trust, democratic values and long-term strategic interests.
A major focus of the discussions is the long-pending India–EU Free Trade Agreement, which both sides see as central to unlocking the full potential of economic cooperation. Von der Leyen has previously described the proposed pact as the “mother of all deals,” highlighting its scale and ambition.
She has said the agreement could create a combined market of nearly two billion people, accounting for roughly one-quarter of global GDP. Officials involved in the negotiations indicated that the deal aims to eliminate tariffs on over 90 percent of traded goods, potentially giving a significant boost to sectors such as garments, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods and IT-enabled services.
Beyond trade, talks during the visit are expected to cover a wide range of areas including technology collaboration, climate action, clean and renewable energy, digital infrastructure and security cooperation. Both sides are keen to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce dependence on a narrow set of global suppliers, particularly in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and green technologies.
India and the EU are also looking to expand cooperation in research, innovation and defence-related technologies, reflecting a shared interest in emerging and critical technologies that have both economic and strategic implications.
Currently, bilateral trade between India and the European Union stands at about 136.53 billion US dollars, making the EU one of India’s largest trading partners. Officials believe that a comprehensive free trade agreement, combined with closer strategic coordination, could significantly expand this figure in the coming years.
A senior official associated with the negotiations said both sides are now keen to move beyond expressions of intent and focus on concrete implementation, particularly in the areas of trade facilitation, technology transfer and industrial collaboration.
Von der Leyen’s remarks come at a time when shifting geopolitical alignments, regional conflicts and economic fragmentation are reshaping the international landscape. Her emphasis on partnership, openness and resilience is widely seen as a signal of closer alignment between India and Europe in addressing shared global challenges.
By projecting India–EU relations as a model of constructive cooperation, the European Commission president has sought to position the partnership as a stabilising force in an increasingly polarised and uncertain world.
