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EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s Republic Day message signals more than symbolism. With a “historic” India-EU trade deal on the brink, her words hint at a global economic shift. What’s about to change?
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with PM Modi at Kartavya Path during Republic Day celebrations
New Delhi: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday underscored India’s growing global role, saying a “successful India” would make the world more “stable, prosperous and secure.” Her remarks came as India and the European Union move closer to finalising a long-pending free trade agreement (FTA) that could reshape global trade dynamics.
Von der Leyen is on a three-day official visit to India and was the chief guest at the country’s 77th Republic Day celebrations, alongside European Council President Antonio Costa.
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Calling her presence at the Republic Day parade an extraordinary moment, von der Leyen shared her message on social media platform X after the ceremony. “It is the honour of a lifetime to be Chief Guests at the Republic Day celebrations. A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure. And we all benefit,” she said.
Her statement reflects the European Union’s increasing strategic and economic engagement with India at a time of shifting global alliances and supply chains.
Von der Leyen’s remarks carry particular significance as India and the EU are expected to conclude negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement that has been in the works for over a decade.
Ahead of her India visit, the European Commission president said the two sides were on the “cusp of a historic” deal one that some have described as the “mother of all trade agreements.”
Speaking earlier at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, von der Leyen highlighted the scale and impact of the proposed agreement. She said the FTA would create a combined market of nearly two billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP.
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The deal, she added, would give Europe a crucial first-mover advantage in one of the world’s fastest-growing and most dynamic economic regions. “Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century,” von der Leyen said at Davos.
Negotiations for an India-EU FTA first began in 2007 but were suspended in 2013 due to differences over market access and regulatory issues. Talks were formally relaunched in 2022, with both sides accelerating discussions amid global economic uncertainties.
Monday’s Republic Day celebrations were attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, senior Union ministers, top military officials, diplomats and foreign dignitaries—underscoring the diplomatic weight of the occasion.
