European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said a “successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure” as she attended the 77th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, highlighting momentum on a landmark India–EU trade deal.
Von der Leyen, along with European Council President António Costa, were chief guests at the parade at Kartavya Path. President Droupadi Murmu took the salute shortly after arriving in a traditional buggy with von der Leyen and Costa, flanked by her bodyguards.
Sharing her thoughts on X, von der Leyen wrote: “It is the honor of a lifetime to be Chief Guests at the Republic Day celebrations. A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure. And we all benefit.”
Her remarks came ahead of the India-EU summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where New Delhi and Brussels are set to announce the conclusion of negotiations on a long-awaited free trade agreement (FTA) on January 27.
EU Vice-President Kaja Kallas, who joined von der Leyen at the Republic Day event, underlined the strong momentum for closer cooperation with India. “Here is strong momentum for closer cooperation with India, and we are seizing it. It is a pleasure to be in New Delhi today and an honour to attend the Republic Day celebration. As a symbol of our deepening bond, personnel from our EU naval operations, Atalanta and Aspides, are taking part in the parade for the first time,” she said. “Tomorrow, at the Summit, we will advance our relationship by signing the EU–India Security and Defence Partnership, delivering concrete results in maritime security, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism.”
Responding to the European leaders’ visit, PM Modi tweeted: “India is privileged to host European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during our Republic Day celebrations. Their presence underscores the growing strength of the India-European Union partnership and our commitment to shared values. The visit will add momentum to deepening engagement and cooperation between India and Europe across diverse sectors.”
The European Union is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching USD 135 billion in FY 2023–24. Officials said the proposed FTA could significantly boost commercial engagement between the two sides. Beyond trade volumes, the pact is expected to bring a qualitative shift in India–EU relations, especially at a time when global commerce is being disrupted by US tariff-driven policies.
Negotiations for the ambitious FTA began in 2007 but were put on hold in 2013 due to differences over ambition levels. Talks were revived in June 2022. Earlier on Monday, Reuters reported that India is likely to sharply cut import tariffs on EU cars from the current 110 per cent to 40 per cent under the proposed deal. Sources said New Delhi has agreed to immediately lower duties on certain EU-imported cars priced above Rs 16.3 lakh (USD 17,739), with tariffs expected to fall further to 10 per cent over time.