Top EU Leaders Arrive For Republic Day, India–EU Summit
India and the European Union are expected to announce the conclusion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at the Summit
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-01-25 18:15 GMT
New Delhi: European Council President António Costa arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen landed in the Capital. The two senior European Union leaders will be the Chief Guests at India’s Republic Day parade on Monday and will represent the EU at the India-EU Summit scheduled for January 27, which will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a post on X, the European Council said President Costa was in New Delhi for the 16th India–EU Summit, describing it as an opportunity to build on the strategic partnership and strengthen cooperation across key policy areas.
India and the European Union are expected to announce the conclusion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at the Summit. While the pact is likely to be announced on Tuesday, it is expected to be formally signed at a later date. India has kept agriculture and dairy outside the scope of the proposed agreement.
European Commission vice-president Kaja Kallas and defence minister Rajnath Singh are also expected to sign a Security and Defence Partnership agreement during the visit.
A Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda for the next five years, comprising more than 100 commitments, will be unveiled at the Summit. The two sides are also expected to announce a mobility framework to benefit students, researchers and professionals, and launch negotiations on a security and classified information agreement.