New Delhi [India], January 15 (ANI): European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will pay a three-day State Visit to India from January 25 to 27 and will serve as the Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
During the visit, the two leaders will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit, scheduled to be held on January 27.
They are set to meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold restricted as well as delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the summit.
India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The 15th India–EU Summit was held virtually on July 15, 2020. Bilateral ties have expanded and deepened across a wide range of areas, particularly following the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February this year, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a release.
The ministry noted that the participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations and the convening of the 16th India–EU Summit will further strengthen the India–EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest.
President Costa and President von der Leyen are visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.
The visit comes amid advanced negotiations between India and the European Union on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Thursday that 20 out of 24 chapters under the proposed India–EU FTA have been finalised, with a few issues still under negotiation.
He said both sides are “virtually engaged on a day-to-day basis” and are making efforts to meet the timeline ahead of the leaders’ meeting. “We have closed 20 out of 24 chapters completely. There are a few issues which are still under ongoing negotiations, which we are virtually engaged in on a day-to-day basis, and we are trying to see if we can meet the timeline before our leaders can meet,” Agrawal said.
He added that while both parties are striving to meet the January deadline, progress remains subject to the resolution of the remaining issues.
Earlier this month, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal concluded a two-day visit to Brussels, marking a significant step forward in the India–EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations. (ANI)
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