von der Leyen, who is on a three-day visit to India, attended the country’s Republic Day celebrations as a chief guest, describing the occasion as an “honour of a lifetime”.
New Delhi: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that a successful India would make the world more “stable, prosperous and secure”, as she arrived in New Delhi ahead of a potentially landmark trade agreement between India and the European Union (EU).
Von der Leyen, who is on a three-day visit to India, attended the country’s Republic Day celebrations as a chief guest, describing the occasion as an “honour of a lifetime”. She and European Council President Antonio Costa were invited as chief guests as India marked its 77th Republic Day.
Also Read
Her visit comes ahead of summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, during which the two sides are expected to announce the conclusion of negotiations on a long-awaited free trade agreement between India and the 27-nation bloc.
In a post on X, Ms von der Leyen said, “A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure. And we all benefit.”
Speaking last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ms von der Leyen said India and the EU were on the brink of a “historic trade agreement”, which she said would create a market of around two billion people and account for almost a quarter of global GDP. She described the deal as being dubbed by some as the “mother of all trade deals”.
She added that such an agreement would give Europe a first-mover advantage in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, underlining the EU’s intention to deepen economic ties with what she called the “growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century”.
In an earlier tweet, von der Leyen India and Europe stated how the trade deal, by harnessing India and the EU's complementary strengths and strengthening shared resilience, would demonstrate to a “fractured world that another way is possible".
As part of the talks, India is reported to be planning significant cuts to tariffs on cars imported from the EU. According to a Reuters report, New Delhi has agreed to immediately reduce taxes on a limited number of European cars priced above €15,000 ($17,739), with duties falling further over time. The move would ease access to the Indian market for European manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
The EU is currently India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods valued at USD 135 billion in the 2023–24 financial year. Negotiations on a free trade agreement were first launched in 2007, suspended in 2013, and relaunched in 2022.
Published: 26 Jan 2026, 03:57 pm IST
Disclaimer: Kindly avoid objectionable, derogatory, unlawful and lewd comments, while responding to reports. Such comments are punishable under cyber laws. Please keep away from personal attacks. The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of readers and not that of Mathrubhumi.