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Top EU leaders as Republic Day chief guests: Who are they, and why timing is key
EU leaders will be on a state visit to India from January 25-27 and will attend the Republic Day parade. This comes amid talks of India-EU trade deal.
Top leaders of the European Union are set to attend India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026, marking a significant move as India and the bloc moves towards a landmark trade agreement.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa will attend the parade as chief guests.
According to a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs, Antonio Costa and Ursulla der Leyen were invited by PM Narendra Modi. The leaders will be on a state visit to India from January 25-27, the release said.
During this time, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27.
Who are the leaders invited?
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula is the president of the European Commission; the first woman to hold the post. As the president, she plays a significant role in shaping EU policies, overseeing the trade negotiations and representing the bloc globally.
Antonio Costa
Costa is the president of the European Council, who chairs EU summits and represents the interests of the EU on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy.
Also read: EU refused to impose tariff on India due to ‘big trade deal’, Scott Bessent says
Why EU leaders have been invited
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen landed in Delhi on Saturday and was received by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasad. Meanwhile, Costa is set to land on Sunday, news agency PTI reported.
The Indian foreign ministry said that the participation of EU leaders as chief guests will “deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest".
Bilateral ties between India and the EU have expanded and deepened, especially after the visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February 2025, it said.
Also read: India-EU ‘mother of all deals’: What it might look like, and red flags | All we know ahead of R-Day summitIndia-EU trade deal
This visit comes at a crucial time when India and the EU are on the verge of announcing the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement and solidifying the strategic defence partnership pact.
Earlier speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, von der Leyen said that the two sides are “on the cusp of a historic trade agreement", as New Delhi and Brussels seek to expand market access amid threats of US tariffs. She called it a “mother of all deals”.
Meanwhile, PM Modi on Saturday said that India is entering into trade and mobility agreements with various nations to create new opportunities for the youth both within the country and abroad.
