European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will serve as the Chief Guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations, coinciding with their three-day State Visit to India from January 25 to 27, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday.

The visit is being undertaken at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is expected to give significant momentum to the India–European Union strategic partnership. During their stay, the two EU leaders will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit scheduled for January 27.

According to the MEA, President Costa and President von der Leyen will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold both restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be organized on the sidelines of the summit, aimed at strengthening commercial and investment ties between the two sides.

“Participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day and the 16th India–EU Summit will further deepen the India–EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest,” the MEA said in its statement.

India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004, with cooperation spanning trade, technology, climate action, connectivity, security, and people-to-people exchanges. The 15th India–EU Summit was held virtually in 2022, while bilateral engagement intensified following the landmark visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February 2025, which marked a turning point in diplomatic and sectoral cooperation.

Republic Day celebrations commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, and represent one of the country’s most important national events. The annual Republic Day Parade, held at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, showcases India’s military strength, cultural diversity, and technological capabilities through marching contingents, tableaux, and displays by the armed forces. The presence of international leaders as chief guests traditionally reflects India’s strategic diplomatic priorities.

The visit by the EU’s top leadership comes amid renewed momentum in India–EU economic engagement, particularly negotiations on a long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA). On January 10, both sides reaffirmed strong political resolve to address outstanding issues through constructive dialogue and move toward a mutually beneficial agreement.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, recent ministerial-level discussions emphasized the importance of concluding a fair, balanced, and ambitious FTA aligned with shared values, economic priorities, and a rules-based global trading system.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently completed a two-day visit to Brussels, where he held extensive talks with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic. The discussions focused on resolving pending issues and providing guidance to negotiating teams to accelerate progress.

These ministerial talks followed high-level engagements between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and European Commission Director-General for Trade Sabine Weyand. The meetings reviewed progress across key negotiating tracks and worked to narrow divergences on outstanding matters.

Officials noted steady progress in critical areas such as market access for goods, rules of origin, and services, underscoring growing political commitment on both sides to finalize a comprehensive agreement.