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European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has called for a stronger and renewed partnership between India and the European Union (EU) to navigate the challenges of an increasingly volatile world. Speaking in New Delhi, she emphasised the need for deeper strategic cooperation
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for a renewed and stronger partnership between India and the European Union (EU), emphasising the need for deeper cooperation in an increasingly volatile global landscape. Speaking in New Delhi, she highlighted the importance of realigning strategic ties to counter geopolitical and economic challenges.
A landmark visit to India
Addressing a gathering during her visit, von der Leyen reflected on the enduring ties between India and the EU, describing them as “natural and long-standing partners.” She praised India’s rich cultural heritage, democratic values, and economic prowess while noting that the EU-India relationship has evolved significantly over the past two decades.
“It is a great pleasure to be back here in India for such a landmark occasion for the EU-India partnership. Returning here, now for the third time as President of the Commission, is always a welcome excuse to immerse myself in your culture and democracy, your history and your modernity. And it was with real privilege and pride that I started this visit by laying a wreath in honour of Mahatma Gandhi yesterday.
It was of course Gandhi himself who famously said that a nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. This is certainly true of India, its people and its breathtaking cultural heritage and history. And above and beyond any economic or diplomatic relations, I believe it is culture that binds the people of India and Europe together. We have a shared love of sport, art and literature. Our students and academics work and deepen their knowledge together. And our companies do business together on a scale almost unmatched around the world. All of this makes us natural and long-standing partners as we start our third decade of strategic partnership.
This is why the EU and India have the potential to be one of the defining partnerships of this Century. And it is why it will be a cornerstone of Europe’s foreign policy in the years and decades to come. So, I want this visit to be the start of this new era. Prime Minister Modi and I share the same view. It is time to take our EU-India Strategic Partnership to the next level. For our own security and our prosperity. For the common global challenges that we face. And for the benefit of our respective regions and our partners around the world.
Over the last thirty years we have done a lot together. But in truth we have only been scratching the surface of the potential that is there. So, this is not a time to place limits on our cooperation. Or to get stuck looking for agreement on every issue of regional or global concern. It is time to be pragmatic and ambitious. And to realign our priorities for today’s realities. Allow me to very briefly map out my vision of the three areas which can take our partnership to the next level. The first is trade and technology. The second is security and defence. And the third is connectivity and global partnership.
But, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I believe what lies ahead is far greater than what has already been. Although history can always be a useful guide for how to approach the world of today. If we think back to 1947, we see how the soul of this great nation and its struggle through history propelled India to its independence. And looking back at the voices of the time, we also hear and feel the resolve and the determination of India to build prosperity, security and democracy for its future generations. As I stand here today in this vibrant and independent country, the largest democracy in the world, the words spoken at the time were as prophetic as they were poignant. At the same time in Europe, we were trying to put back together the pieces of our Continent ravaged by war. The countries of Europe chose to come together. To tie their destinies, their security and prosperity to one another in order not to repeat the mistakes of our past. This is how the seeds of our European Union were planted.
The point is that the world then was fragile, fractured and on the verge of change that would define the next eight decades. And both Europe and India, albeit in very different circumstances, understood the need to come together. I believe this is a clarion call for all of us as we stand here in 2025 at another inflection point in history. I do not need to describe the geopolitical and geoeconomic headwinds that both the EU and India are confronted with. We have all seen how countries are weaponising their sources of strength against each other whether natural resources or new technologies, or economic and military coercion. We have seen how supply chains and dependencies are used to gain influence or drive wedges between nations and regions. We have seen a more aggressive posture from major powers and of course the conflicts that have destabilised entire regions. How countries, in particular in the Global South, are looking for alternatives to what the international system has offered them. And we have seen clear attempts to split off parts of the world into isolated fragments.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The first area where I believe we can make real progress is on delivering prosperity in Europe and in India. Here we have a real shared interest and sense of purpose. India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision will help to transform the economy and create millions of jobs from traditional manufacturing sectors to high-tech industries and innovation. Europe is striving towards the same goal through our own economic and industrial transformation. I believe that we can help each other to reach our goals. Make in India and “made in Europe” can work together to drive our industries forward. And our common interests in de-risking our economies, in particular in sensitive technological areas, can help drive our economic security. Let’s take some examples. We are both looking to diversify some of our most critical value chains. From our side this is for example the case on batteries or pharma, semiconductors, clean hydrogen or defence.
And we can support each other to achieve that. For that we need to have an ambitious trade and investment partnership. Today, the EU is India’s largest trading partner, sitting ahead of both the US and China. European companies create 8 million jobs here in India. But we could do so much more by improving market access and tackling the barriers to trade. And I believe this can be a launchpad to strengthen cooperation in key sectors which will drive the global economy as we head towards mid-century. From semi-conductors to clean tech, from AI – we just had a summit in Paris, and the next one will be here – to high performance computing and digital public infrastructure. By investing together in this tech and by building strong supply chains, we can create a real advantage for ourselves in today’s competitive global economy. And we should draw on each other’s skills and talents. Such as our academics and researchers, to help make that happen.
A free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world. I am well aware it will not be easy. But I also know that timing and determination counts, and that this partnership comes at the right moment for both of us. This is why we have agreed with Prime Minister Modi to push to get it done during this year. And you can count on my full commitment to make sure we can deliver.
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