EU leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen to be chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day
According to the MEA, the two leaders will be on a three-day official visit to India from January 25 to 27
PTC Web Desk: Two of the European Union’s top leaders, European Council President Antonio Luís Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will be the chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday.
According to the MEA, the two leaders will be on a three-day official visit to India from January 25 to 27, following an invitation extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to India–EU relations, particularly on the long-pending India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), on which an announcement may be made during the trip.
India and the European Union have shared a strategic partnership since 2004, and bilateral ties have seen notable expansion in recent years. The MEA highlighted that relations were further strengthened after the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February last year, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic engagement.
During their stay, Costa and von der Leyen will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit on January 27, where discussions are expected to cover trade, technology, global security, climate action and geopolitical developments.
The ministry said the visit underlines the growing depth and breadth of India–EU cooperation and reflects the shared commitment of both sides to enhancing economic and strategic collaboration in a rapidly changing global environment.