EU leaders attend India’s Republic Day ahead of 16th EU–India Summit in New Delhi

The European Union’s top leadership arrived in India for a high-level diplomatic engagement centred on the 16th EU–India Summit scheduled in New Delhi on 27 January 2026. European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to advance the EU–India strategic partnership, including cooperation across trade, security and defence, clean transition, and people-to-people ties. ([consilium.europa.eu](https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/01/25/president-costa-to-travel-to-india-for-a-high-level-summit-on-27-january-2026/))

Republic Day as a diplomatic signal

Ahead of the summit, the two EU presidents also participated in India’s 77th Republic Day parade on 26 January 2026 as guests of honour. The EU described the moment as a first for EU leaders at the Republic Day celebrations, framing it as a marker of strengthening bilateral relations and a shared interest in the rules-based international order. ([consilium.europa.eu](https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/01/25/president-costa-to-travel-to-india-for-a-high-level-summit-on-27-january-2026/))

Von der Leyen publicly linked the visit to broader stability and prosperity narratives, while Indian coverage stressed the symbolic weight of European participation at one of India’s most prominent national events. The summit agenda includes areas where India and the EU have been trying to align faster—strategic security cooperation, technology, and future-ready trade rules. ([indiatoday.in](https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/india-eu-trade-deal-republic-day-european-union-tariff-cut-car-imports-ursula-leyen-2857869-2026-01-26?utm_source=openai))

• EU–India Summit date: 27 January 2026
• Republic Day parade participation: 26 January 2026
• Key themes flagged by EU: trade, security/defence, clean transition, people-to-people cooperation

Costa’s trip also includes a Vietnam leg on 29 January 2026, reflecting the EU’s wider Indo-Pacific diplomacy as it seeks stronger partnerships across the region. ([consilium.europa.eu](https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/01/25/president-costa-to-travel-to-india-for-a-high-level-summit-on-27-january-2026/))