European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Luís Santos da Costa will undertake a three-day state visit to India from January 25 to 27 as chief guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
The visit marks a significant moment in India–European Union relations, as the two leaders will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit scheduled for January 27. During their stay, President da Costa and President von der Leyen are set to meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold both restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the summit, aimed at strengthening economic and commercial engagement between the two sides.
India–EU
India and the European Union have shared a strategic partnership since 2004, with cooperation steadily expanding across political, economic, technological and global governance domains. The previous, 15th India–EU Summit was held virtually in July 2020. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, ties gained fresh momentum following the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India earlier this year, which helped deepen engagement across multiple sectors.
The timing of the visit is also significant, coming amid advanced negotiations between India and the European Union on a long-pending Free Trade Agreement. Both sides have indicated renewed political will to conclude the deal, which is seen as a major step towards boosting bilateral trade and investment.
Republic Day Chief Guests
Republic Day chief guests have long reflected India’s evolving diplomatic priorities. In recent years, the tradition has featured prominent global leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron in 2024, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in 2025.
There have also been notable exceptions and milestones, no Chief Guest was invited in 1952, 1953, 1966, 2021 and 2022, while in 2018, India made history by inviting ten leaders from ASEAN countries together, underscoring its focus on regional and multilateral partnerships.
