The President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, departed India after completing a three-day state visit that both nations’ governments called highly successful. Officials described the visit as a significant milestone in the India-EU strategic partnership.
13 Rich Outcomes Strengthening Ties
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit resulted in 13 key outcomes designed to deepen cooperation across areas including trade, security, defence, mobility, clean energy, science, and disaster management. These build on strengthened political and economic links between India and the European Union.
Among the most notable achievements was the conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) dubbed by leaders as the “mother of all deals” which is expected to significantly enhance market access for Indian goods and services in Europe.
Strategic and Economic Impact
The state visit coincided with the 16th India-EU Summit, co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leaders. In addition to the FTA progress, leaders also signed a Security and Defence Partnership the first overarching framework of its kind between India and the EU to expand cooperation in regional and global security domains.
These agreements are seen as key to boosting job creation, economic growth, and opportunities for people across the regions, reinforcing India’s role as a key partner for the EU.
Departure and Official Statements
In official posts marking the end of the visit, the MEA highlighted the “highly successful” nature of the engagements and noted that Costa and von der Leyen have departed India, with Costa leaving on Wednesday and von der Leyen departing the previous evening.
Both leaders participated as chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day parade, symbolizing the growing strength of India-EU relations and shared commitment to global cooperation.