India and the European Union are set to deepen their strategic and economic ties at the upcoming summit on January 27, 2026, immediately following India's Republic Day celebrations. The summit is expected to yield significant progress on a long-awaited free trade agreement, a security and defence partnership, and enhanced mobility for Indian professionals.
High-level officials from both India and the EU will attend, including European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will also be the chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations. A 90-member delegation, including foreign and security policy chief Kaja Kallas and Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, will accompany the EU leaders.
The free trade agreement (FTA) is expected to be a central achievement of the summit. Negotiations for the FTA were initially launched in 2007 but were suspended in 2013 due to disagreements before relaunching in June 2022. Once the negotiations conclude, the FTA will undergo legal review and require ratification by the European Parliament and Council. The FTA, described as potentially the largest trade deal ever for both sides, aims to significantly boost trade ties between India and the EU. The EU is already India's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods reaching $135 billion in the 2023-24 financial year. While progress has been made, some issues remain, such as climate-related standards and the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). India has also expressed concerns about dairy and farm products.
In addition to the FTA, the summit will address security and defence cooperation. The proposed Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) seeks to enhance interoperability between Indian and EU forces, potentially allowing Indian firms access to the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, a €150 billion initiative to bolster European defence readiness. Both sides are also expected to initiate negotiations for a Security of Information Agreement (SOIA). The SOIA, along with the SDP, would foster industrial defence cooperation and enable joint development and production of defence equipment.
The summit is also expected to produce a memorandum of understanding to facilitate the mobility of Indian workers to Europe. This agreement will establish a framework for EU member states to advance mobility initiatives with India. Several EU nations, including France, Germany, and Italy, already have migration and mobility partnerships with India.
A symbolic first will occur at the Republic Day parade, where a military contingent from the EU will participate, showcasing the EU military staff flag and the flags of naval operations Atalanta and Aspides.
Both sides are expected to unveil a comprehensive strategic agenda for 2026-2030, in addition to the SDP. This agenda will serve as a roadmap for strengthening cooperation across various sectors in the coming years.
