Exclusive: EU’s top leadership to be chief guests at next year’s Republic Day

An invitation to be the Republic Day chief guest is highly symbolic from the Indian government’s perspective. New Delhi has been weaving strategy with hospitality to decide its chief guest. The choice is dictated by a number of reasons — strategic and diplomatic, business interests and international geopolitics.

The decision to invite the EU leadership is a first — ties between India and the European Union of 27 member countries have been on an upswing in the last few months, especially since February this year when the EU’s College of Commissioners visited India.

Amid the unpredictability of the US administration led by President Donald Trump, the EU approved a new strategic agenda on October 20 to raise bilateral relations with India to a higher level, which includes finalising the ongoing negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), deepening cooperation across technology, defence and security, people-to-people ties.

In fact, when the EU leaders come to India in January, the India-EU leaders summit — which was scheduled to be held in early 2026 — will be held in Delhi that month itself.

This puts a deadline for the negotiators from both sides to conclude the India-EU FTA by December — a commitment made in February this year as part of the economic partnership between the two sides.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who is currently in Brussels, is meeting EU’s Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. The EU Trade Commissioner said they are having an “intensive series of in-depth discussions”. “Strengthening relations through a trade and investment agreement remains a key priority. Fully committed to driving this important work forward and making real progress together,” Sefcovic posted on X.

The Indian Express has learnt that almost half of 23 chapters of the India-EU FTA have been closed, and talks are underway to conclude the remaining issues as well — agriculture, wine, auto, insurance and banking among others.

EU’s von der Leyen and Costa have spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at least twice in the last couple of months, including on September 17, on the PM’s birthday. Besides high-level conversations, the leaders are also expected to meet on the sidelines of the G20 leaders’ summit in South Africa in November.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also expected to travel to Brussels for the Indo-Pacific Forum on November 20-21, and his EU counterpart, the High Representative and Vice President of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, is expected to visit India in December 2025 or early January 2026.

So, there is a full calendar of meetings and conversations lined up in the lead-up to the summit and Republic Day.

While there have been divergences between Delhi and Brussels on Russian oil imports and India’s refusal to condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine, the sense in Delhi is that the convergences far outweigh the differences.

The timing is crucial as the US administration has given a reality check to both India and Europe about its unpredictability. As India and EU work towards an ambitious and strategic roadmap, European leaders are pitching themselves as the “predictable” and “reliable”partners.