EU Council President Shows Passport, Says India-EU Ties Personal

January 27, 2026

European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa made a striking and symbolic gesture during a speech in New Delhi on January 27, 2026, when he held up his passport in front of attendees while highlighting his personal connection to India and the deep ties between the European Union and India. The moment came at a key moment in the India-EU Summit, where leaders were celebrating the conclusion of a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Costa’s action, far from being mere theatrics, underscored a deep personal connection he holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card and has ancestral roots in Goa, where his family hails from the town of Margao. He is affectionately referred to as the “Gandhi of Lisbon” for his leadership style and for highlighting shared cultural threads between Europe and India.

 Personal and Emotional Ties Underline Strategic Partnership

In his remarks, Costa emphasized that the relationship between the European Union and India is not just transactional or strategic it is also deeply personal. By showing his passport and pointing to his Goan heritage, he conveyed the idea that diplomatic ties are often intertwined with familial histories and emotional bonds that span continents.

This moment added a human dimension to the broader diplomatic engagement occurring between India and the EU, which has been marked by nearly two decades of negotiations culminating in the ‘mother of all deals’ a landmark free trade agreement expected to reshape economic relations between the two global actors.

 Historic Context: India-EU Free Trade Agreement

Costa’s remarks came as India and the European Union formally concluded trade negotiations on what leaders described as a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The pact, years in the making, is aimed at reducing tariffs on a vast majority of goods, strengthening joint strategic cooperation, and boosting economic ties between the world’s largest democracies.

During the summit at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, both sides reaffirmed their economic, geopolitical, and cultural partnership a relationship that now extends beyond commerce into shared values, global challenges like climate action, and defence cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU leaders celebrated the progress, noting that collaboration between India and the EU reflects a bond that is both strategic and deeply rooted in people-to-people ties.

Costa’s Identity: A Bridge Between India and Europe

António Costa’s gesture had particular resonance because it drew attention to his dual cultural identity. His family’s origins in Goa and his status as an OCI cardholder served as a symbolic bridge between India and the European bloc, illustrating how shared heritage and personal histories can enrich diplomatic relations.

Costa’s comments came at a time when India-EU relations are entering a new phase of cooperation, one that encompasses not just trade, but also security, technology, climate action and cultural exchange. The personal element he referenced rooted in family, heritage and shared experience serves as a reminder that international ties are shaped not only by treaties, but also by the people and histories that connect nations.