European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said that a “successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous, and secure” as she attended India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, underscoring growing momentum toward a landmark India–European Union free trade agreement.
Von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa were the chief guests at the Republic Day parade along Kartavya Path, where President Droupadi Murmu took the salute after arriving in a traditional buggy accompanied by the two leaders.
Sharing her reflections on the social media platform X, von der Leyen said it was an honor to attend the celebrations and stressed that a strong India benefits global stability and prosperity.
Her remarks came ahead of high-level summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with New Delhi attached and Brussels set to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the long-awaited trade agreement at the India–EU summit on January 27.
EU Vice-President Kaja Kallas, who also attended the Republic Day event, said there was strong momentum for closer cooperation with India and that both sides were moving quickly to capitalise on it. In a post on X, she said the participation of personnel from EU naval operations Atalanta and Aspides in the parade for the first time symbolized the deepening partnership.
Kallas added that the two sides plan to sign an EU–India Security and Defence Partnership at the summit, aimed at delivering concrete outcomes in areas such as maritime security, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the European leaders, saying their presence highlighted the growing strength of India–EU ties and a shared commitment to democratic values. He said the visit would add momentum to deeper engagement and cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
The European Union is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching about $135 billion in the 2023–24 financial year. Officials said the proposed free trade agreement could significantly expand commercial engagement and also bring a qualitative shift in the broader strategic relationship, particularly at a time when global trade is being disrupted by tariff-driven policies in the United States.
The agreement is taking shape amid concerns in both India and the 27-nation bloc over recent U.S. trade measures, prompting New Delhi and Brussels to strengthen economic cooperation. India and the EU first launched FTA negotiations in 2007, but talks were suspended in 2013 due to differences over ambition and market access. The process was revived in June 2022.
Separately, a Reuters report earlier in the day said India is likely to sharply reduce import tariffs on cars from the EU to around 40% from the current peak of 110% under the proposed deal, which could be finalised as early as Tuesday.
Sources familiar with the talks said New Delhi has agreed to immediately lower duties on a limited number of EU-imported vehicles priced above about ₹16.3 lakh, with tariffs expected to fall further to 10% over time.
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