The state visit of European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to India from January 25-27, 2026, culminating in the 16th India-EU Summit, marked a watershed moment in bilateral relations.

Co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside the two EU leaders, the summit not only featured the EU presidents as chief guests for India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations—a first in history—but also produced 13 concrete outcomes that elevate the India-EU Strategic Partnership to new heights.

In an era of global uncertainty, these outcomes underscore a shared commitment to democracy, rule of law, and a multipolar world order anchored in mutual respect and prosperity.

The crowning achievement is the conclusion of negotiations for a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), described by von der Leyen as the “mother of all deals" and by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India’s largest trade pact ever. This comprehensive accord covers goods, services, investment, and intellectual property, eliminating or sharply reducing tariffs on nearly 99% of Indian exports and 97% of EU exports to........

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