New Delhi [India], January 26 (ANI): European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday described India as a key global partner and said that “a successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous, and secure,” as senior European leaders arrived in New Delhi for the 77th Republic Day celebrations and ahead of the EU-India Summit scheduled for Tuesday.
Von der Leyen called her invitation as chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations “the honor of a lifetime,” underscoring the growing strategic convergence between India and the European Union. In an official post on X, she said, “It is the honor of a lifetime to be chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous, and secure. And we all benefit.”
Her remarks came as senior EU leaders, including European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, as well as Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, Maros Sefcovic, signaled strong momentum in EU-India relations spanning trade, security, and defense cooperation.
Kallas, in a post on X, said there is “strong momentum for closer cooperation with India,” adding that the EU is seizing the opportunity to deepen ties. She noted that personnel from EU naval operations Atalanta and Aspides are participating in India’s Republic Day parade for the first time, calling it a symbol of the deepening bond between the two sides.
Kallas also announced that the EU and India will advance their relationship at the summit by signing an EU-India Security and Defense Partnership, which is expected to deliver concrete outcomes in areas such as maritime security, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism. In a post on X, she said, “There is strong momentum for closer cooperation with India, and we are seizing it. It is a pleasure to be in New Delhi today and an honor to attend the Republic Day celebration. As a symbol of our deepening bond, personnel from our EU naval operations, Atalanta and Aspides, are taking part in the parade for the first time. Tomorrow, at the summit, we will take our relationship forward by signing the EU-India Security and Defense Partnership. This will deliver concrete results in areas such as maritime security, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism.”
Meanwhile, Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said being invited as a guest for India’s Republic Day was a “profound honor,” adding that the moment was ideal to reaffirm and strengthen the partnership through the conclusion of an ambitious EU-India Free Trade Agreement.
In a post on X, he said, “Being invited as a guest for India’s Republic Day is a profound honor. There could be no more fitting moment to reaffirm our partnership and to strengthen it further through the conclusion of an ambitious FTA.”
The EU-India Summit, scheduled for Tuesday, comes amid sustained efforts by both sides to elevate their strategic partnership, which has been in place since 2004. Negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement, an investment protection agreement, and a geographical indications pact have intensified, with both sides aiming to conclude talks by the end of 2025.
The European Union views India as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific, citing its strategic geographic position, fast-growing market, and role in maintaining regional security and freedom of navigation. India and the EU already cooperate across a wide range of areas, including climate and energy, technology, connectivity, research, innovation, and space.
The summit is expected to focus on trade, technology, security, and defense, as well as a broader roadmap for a new EU-India strategic agenda, as both sides seek to unlock the full potential of the partnership. (ANI)
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