December 18th 2025.
In what seems to be an exciting development, media reports have revealed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa have been invited as the chief guests for India's Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2026. This highly anticipated visit is expected to coincide with the India-EU Summit, adding to the significance of the occasion.
Sources suggest that discussions during the visit are likely to revolve around the proposed Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union. This comes after a successful visit by EU Commissioners to India in February, which further strengthened the already thriving relations between the two parties.
Earlier this month, negotiations on the long-awaited FTA resumed between the two sides, marking a significant step towards finalizing the agreement. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal held discussions with H.E. Maros Sefcovic, European Union’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, on December 8 and 9. The talks were aimed at providing strategic guidance to the FTA negotiating teams, with both sides working towards concluding the agreement at the earliest.
In line with this, the European Union is looking to forge a broad global agenda in partnership with India, while also solidifying the proposed Free Trade Pact. In a statement, the Ministry said, "The visit takes place against the backdrop of the technical discussions held from December 3-9, 2025, in New Delhi across key chapters of the India-EU FTA, covering market access for goods, rules of origin, services, technical barriers to trade, trade and sustainable development, etc."
Prior to the visit of the European Union’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, high-level discussions were held between the Commerce Secretary and the Director-General Trade, European Commission, in New Delhi on December 7. This emphasized the shared commitment of both parties to intensify dialogue and collaboration, with a focused determination to advance the negotiations towards a timely and mutually beneficial conclusion.
During their engagement, Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and EU Trade Commissioner Sefcovic engaged in detailed deliberations across key areas of the proposed agreement. Both sides acknowledged the steady progress achieved in various negotiating tracks and agreed on the need to sustain the current momentum through continued exchanges. This further solidifies the strong partnership between India and the European Union, paving the way for a mutually beneficial relationship in the years to come.
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