EU leaders arrive in Delhi, receive ceremonial welcome ahead of Republic Day and summit week

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa arrived in New Delhi on January 25, 2026, receiving a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour as the European Union’s top leadership begins a high-profile visit to India. The visit, widely seen as a signal of stronger strategic alignment, comes alongside events linked to the 77th Republic Day celebrations and a week of intensive diplomacy.

Indian officials described the arrival as part of the next phase of the India–EU Strategic Partnership, emphasising shared democratic values and expanding cooperation across trade, technology and security. The optics are significant: the EU leadership’s presence around Republic Day underlines Europe’s effort to present India as a key partner in a more fragmented global order.

Von der Leyen’s own messaging framed the engagement as building “mutual resilience” and demonstrating that democracies can chart another path amid global tensions. The agenda is expected to range from geo-economics to connectivity, industrial policy and regulatory issues affecting companies and supply chains.

For India, the visit offers a chance to push forward discussions on market access and investment flows while also elevating political coordination with European capitals. For the EU, it is an opportunity to accelerate ties with a fast-growing economy and a major Indo-Pacific actor, especially as trade and strategic relationships are reconfigured worldwide.

The ceremonial welcome in Delhi is only the start of what officials anticipate will be a packed set of meetings and public moments. Observers expect announcements and signals aimed at building confidence for long-term engagement—particularly if India and the EU move closer to a broader trade arrangement, and if both sides seek a more structured security dialogue.