&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "EU–India Summit 2026 Live Updates | ‘When India succeeds, world is more stable, secure’: EU chief lauds historic deal")
EU–India Summit 2026 Live Updates: India and the European Union are set to sign a landmark Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday (Jan 27), which has been described as the “mother of all deals” by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the deal as a “major opportunity” for businesses of both sides and said it would deepen ties between India and Europe. He added that the long-awaited agreement is a perfect example of a partnership between two major economies of the world.
The FTA between India and the EU presents 25 per cent of global GDP and about a third of global trade. It will also complement India’s trade agreements with Britain and the European Free Trade Association, PM Modi said.
Earlier on Monday (Jan 26), Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal confirmed that India and the European Union have wrapped up negotiations on the deal. The agreement, expected to be formally unveiled on Thursday (January 27), has been described as equitable and future-focused, aimed at strengthening India’s economic ties with Europe. Agrawal said the agreement is complete and will likely come into effect next year. The legal review of the text is expected to take five to six months, after which the pact will be officially signed. He added that the deal is poised to significantly boost bilateral trade and investment flows.
The announcement coincides with the visit of European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to New Delhi, where they attended the 77th Republic Day celebrations and the 16th India-EU Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the EU leadership, noting that their presence reflects the deepening partnership between India and the bloc. The European Commission echoed this sentiment in a post on X, highlighting shared ambitions to address global challenges and advance cooperation at the upcoming summit.
Momentum for the deal accelerated after Modi and von der Leyen agreed last year to speed up negotiations. Trade talks, which resumed in 2022 after being stalled for nearly a decade, gained urgency amid shifting global trade dynamics, including higher US tariffs under President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, negotiations on a potential India-US trade pact remain unresolved.
India and the European Union on Tuesday signed 13 agreements and arrangements during the state visit of European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, covering areas such as trade, security, defence, mobility, clean energy, science, and disaster management.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for reforms in international institutions to effectively address contemporary challenges, citing growing turmoil in the global order.
Addressing a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa following the 16th India-EU Summit, PM Modi said the evolving global situation underscored the importance of strong partnerships and a reformed multilateral system.
"Today, there are major turmoils in the global order. In such a situation, the partnership between India and the European Union will strengthen stability in the international system," the Prime Minister said.
President of the European Council, António Luís Santos da Costa, says, "We conclude today our trade negotiations. We relaunched at the latest meeting that I had the pleasure of hosting in May 2021 in my previous capacity. Our summit sends a clear message to the world. At a time when the global order is being fundamentally reshaped, the European Union and India stand together as strategic and reliable partners. Today, we are taking our partnership to the next level. As the two largest democracies in the world, we are working hand in hand to deliver concrete benefits for our citizens and to shape a resilient global order that underpins peace and stability, economic growth and sustainable development..."
President of the European Council, António Luís Santos da Costa, says, “I'm the President of the European Council, but I'm also an overseas Indian citizen. Then, as you can imagine, for me it has a special meaning. I'm very proud of my roots in Goa, where my father's family came from and the connection between Europe and India is something personal to me.”
“Today, India has concluded the biggest Free Trade Agreement in its history. On 27th January, India signed this FTA with 27 European nations...This will boost investment, form new innovation partnerships and strengthen supply chains at the global level...This is not just a trade agreement, it is a blueprint for shared prosperity,” PM Modi says at press conference
Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins address at press conference after signing and exchanging the documents of EU-India trade deal.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa deliver remarks during a visit to New Delhi for an EU-India bilateral summit
The new India-Europe trade agreement has created a vast market “of two billion people,” EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday, a deal reached after two decades of negotiations.
“Europe and India are making history today,” von der Leyen said in a statement in New Delhi, where she is meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We have concluded the mother of all deals. We have created a free trade zone of two billion people, with both sides set to benefit.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday (Jan 27) announced that the India and EU has concluded the “mother of all deals”.
In a post on X, the EU chief wrote, “Europe and India are making history today. We have concluded the mother of all deals. We have created a free trade zone of two billion people, with both sides set to benefit. This is only the beginning. We will grow our strategic relationship to be even stronger.”
She also shared a picture of herself along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President of the European Council, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen in the national capital on Tuesday. The leaders displayed the spirit of bonhomie as they met at the Hyderabad House.
Earlier, the EU leaders paid tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, by laying a wreath at his memorial in Raj Ghat, as part of their state visit to India. The ceremony, held in the presence of senior Indian officials, was part of their ongoing state visit and coincided with the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi, which will be co-hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The European leaders also signed the guestbook at the memorial site after the wreath-laying ceremony andpaying floral tribute to the Mahatma.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the agreement between India and the European Union represents 25 per cent of the global GDP and one-third of the total global trade.
“This agreement represents 25 per cent of the global GDP and 1/3rd of global trade,” he said.
“This agreement empowers our shared commitment towards democracy and rule of law. This Free Trade Agreement with the European Union will also complement Britain and EFTA's agreements...I congratulate the people of the nation for this,” PM Modi said.
“Yesterday, a big agreement was signed between the European Union and India. People are calling this the mother of all deals. This agreement will bring major opportunities for the public in India and Europe. This is a perfect example of a partnership between two major economies of the world,” PM Modi said.
