New Delhi is buzzing with anticipation as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived here on Saturday, kicking off high-stakes talks that could reshape global trade dynamics. In a crisp 34-second video posted on X, von der Leyen expressed exhilaration over the impending EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), declaring that both sides are on the verge of sealing this monumental deal.
‘Delhi, the mother of all trade deals. We’re getting closer to the EU-India Free Trade Agreement. See you soon in Delhi,’ she captioned the clip. Speaking directly to the camera, von der Leyen highlighted the historic nature of the pact. ‘There’s still work to do, but we’re close to a historic trade agreement – some call it the mother of all deals. One that creates a market of two billion people, nearly a quarter of global GDP.’
She emphasized Europe’s intent to forge ties with the world’s growth engines, from Latin America to the Indo-Pacific. ‘Europe wants to do business with today’s growth centers… the economic powerhouses of this century. Europe will always choose the world, and the world is ready to choose Europe.’
Union Minister Jitin Prasada welcomed von der Leyen upon her arrival. Earlier at the Davos World Economic Forum, she had touted the deal as offering Europe a first-mover advantage in one of the planet’s most dynamic continents.
Sources indicate the much-awaited FTA negotiations are set to conclude successfully at the India-EU Summit on January 27. Both parties will adopt a document announcing the wrap-up of talks, paving the way for legal ratification by the European Parliament and Council. This agreement, encompassing goods and services with the 27-nation bloc – one of India’s top export markets – marks India’s largest such pact to date.
Beyond trade, India and the EU are poised to ink a security and defense partnership, alongside a mobility pact easing access for Indian professionals to EU job markets. As preparations intensify ahead of the summit, this convergence signals a new era of strategic collaboration between two economic titans, promising mutual prosperity amid shifting global currents.
