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New Delhi: President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen convened with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, in a bid to reenergize India-Europe relations amid an ‘era of conflicts and competition.’ Accompanied by 20 members of the European College of Commissioners, the EU chief is here on a two-day visit.
The development comes when US President Donald Trump has revealed intentions of imposing 25% tariff over goods manufactured in the EU. The Republican leader has alleged that the EU was created to ‘screw the United States.’
Jaishankar praised von der Leyen’s views on deepening India-EU relations. He wrote on X, “The wide-ranging participation of Indian Ministers and EU College of Commissioners during this visit stands testimony to the importance we place on deeper India-EU ties.”
Von der Leyen described India as a ‘trusted friend’ and a ‘strategic ally.’ She posted on X, “In an era of conflicts and intense competition, you need trusted friends. For Europe, India is such a friend and a strategic ally.” Von der Leyen posted shortly after being welcomed at Delhi airport by Minister of State Anupriya Patel.
She will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. They will discuss ways to take the India-EU strategic partnership to the next level.
The visit will also include the second ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council. Several bilateral ministerial meetings are scheduled as well.
A senior EU official stated that Von der Leyen’s visit aims to shape a new strategic agenda for India-EU relations. The focus will be on key areas such as trade, investment, technology, digitalization, and connectivity.
The European side is expected to raise concerns about the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the enforcement of EU sanctions, particularly on trade involving sensitive technologies. However, an Indian official emphasized that New Delhi has maintained its stance that a resolution can only be achieved through dialogue, urging both Russia and Ukraine to come to the negotiating table.
On Thursday, Leyen visited Rajghat in New Delhi to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, reflecting on his message of ‘universal peace,’ as noted by the Ministry of External Affairs.
This is von der Leyen’s third visit to India. She had earlier visited in April 2022 for an official bilateral trip and in September 2023 for the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
India and the EU have strengthened their diplomatic ties in recent years. Modi and von der Leyen have met regularly at international summits, and this visit marks a new step in their engagement.
However, in a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that this marks the first-ever visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India as a group. It is also among the first high-level delegations from the European Commission since the current leadership assumed office in December 2024, following the European parliamentary elections in June 2024.
