New Delhi marked a historic moment on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the India-EU Business Forum at Bharat Mandapam. Declaring it a ‘trumpet call for a new era’ in India-EU relations, Modi highlighted unprecedented milestones shaping the partnership between the world’s two largest democracies.
For the first time, EU leaders joined India’s Republic Day celebrations as chief guests. This coincides with the largest Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in India’s history with the EU, and the gathering of top CEOs at this grand forum. ‘These achievements symbolize an extraordinary alignment,’ Modi stated, emphasizing shared values, global stability priorities, and natural people-to-people ties.
Over the past decade, bilateral trade has doubled to 180 billion euros. More than 6,000 European companies operate in India, while 1,500 Indian firms thrive in the EU. Amid global business turbulence, Modi called the FTA a ‘clear, positive signal’ for companies rethinking strategies and partnerships.
He outlined three key priorities. First, reducing dependency on trade, technology, and critical minerals weaponized globally. Modi urged businesses to collaborate on EVs, batteries, chips, and APIs to build trusted supply chains.
Second, deepening ties in defense, space, telecom, and AI. Third, advancing a clean, sustainable future through joint efforts in green hydrogen, solar energy, smart grids, small modular reactors, sustainable mobility, water management, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture.
This forum isn’t just talk—it’s a blueprint for one of the world’s most influential partnerships, poised to drive innovation and stability in uncertain times.