European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen touched down in New Delhi on Saturday, her visit igniting hopes for a breakthrough in EU-India trade relations. Moments after landing, she shared a dynamic video on social media platform X, underscoring the near-finalization of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two powers.
In the footage, von der Leyen radiated optimism. ‘All trade deals’ mother. We’re nearing the EU-India Free Trade Agreement. See you soon in Delhi,’ read her caption. She elaborated on the transformative potential: ‘I’m heading to India. Much work remains, but we’re inches from a historic agreement dubbed the mother of all deals – uniting markets for two billion people, about a quarter of world GDP.’
Von der Leyen positioned the deal as Europe’s gateway to booming economies across regions like the Indo-Pacific. ‘Europe seeks partnerships with growth hubs from Latin America onward, the century’s economic giants. Europe chooses the world, and the world chooses Europe back.’
Greeted by Indian Union Minister Jitin Prasada, her arrival builds on remarks from Davos where she described the FTA as granting Europe a pioneering edge in Asia’s fastest-growing economy.
Insider reports suggest the India-EU Summit on January 27 will formally end FTA negotiations. A joint document will herald the conclusion, followed by approvals from EU legislative bodies. Encompassing trade in goods and services with India’s key export partner, this will be New Delhi’s biggest FTA ever.
Adding heft to the agenda are agreements on security-defense cooperation and enhanced mobility for Indian talent in Europe. With stakes this high, von der Leyen’s trip underscores a pivotal moment, forging deeper economic bonds that could redefine bilateral ties for decades and bolster resilience against global uncertainties.