EU chief Ursula von der Leyen arrives in India ahead of Republic Day celebrations

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in India on Saturday on a state visit that underscores the growing strategic partnership between New Delhi and the European Union. She will attend India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations as a Chief Guest, alongside European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa.

Von der Leyen was received in New Delhi by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada. Welcoming her visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it marked the beginning of a new phase in the India–EU strategic partnership, rooted in shared democratic values and mutual trust.

Her arrival follows that of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President Kaja Kallas, who reached New Delhi earlier on her first official visit to India. The MEA described Kallas’s visit as timely, noting that it comes amid sustained high-level engagement aimed at strengthening cooperation between India and the EU.

The visits come at a time of heightened diplomatic activity between the two sides, as global volatility and geopolitical uncertainty push major democracies to seek closer coordination.

On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met ambassadors from EU member states in New Delhi, where discussions focused on the current international environment marked by instability and rapid change.

Following the meeting, Jaishankar emphasised the importance of deeper India–EU cooperation, arguing that a stronger partnership could help stabilise the global order. He highlighted collaboration on resilient supply chains to reduce economic risk, the provision of global public goods such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and anti-piracy operations, and closer trade, mobility and security ties.

The diplomatic engagement with EU ambassadors preceded the arrival of von der Leyen and Santos da Costa, both of whom are visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During their stay, the two leaders will co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit on 27 January.

As part of the visit, the EU leaders are scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and hold both restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be held on the sidelines of the summit, reflecting the emphasis placed by both sides on expanding economic cooperation and trade.

According to the MEA, the series of high-level visits highlights the increasing strategic importance of the India–EU partnership as both sides navigate shared global challenges.

With IANS inputs