India has invited two senior European leaders as chief guests for Republic Day 2026, signalling a key moment in its evolving strategic partnership with the European Union.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Luís Santos da Costa, the Chief Guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. (ANI)
India’s 77th Republic Day has a clear diplomatic focus this year.
For the first time, two senior leaders from the European Union are attending the celebrations as Chief Guests – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Luís Santos da Costa.
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The invitation is not ceremonial alone. It comes as India and the EU move closer to major decisions on trade, security and strategic cooperation, after nearly two decades of negotiations.
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Both leaders are in India on a State visit from January 25 to 27 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Antonio Luís Santos da Costa, President of the European Council, was born in Lisbon in 1961. He is one of Portugal’s most experienced political figures.
He comes from a family with Portuguese, Indian and Mozambican roots. Growing up in a multicultural environment shaped his belief in dialogue and international cooperation.
A law graduate from the University of Lisbon, Costa entered politics early through the Portuguese Socialist Party. Over the years, he held several senior positions in government, including Minister for Justice, Minister of State and Interior, and Mayor of Lisbon.
In 2015, he became Prime Minister of Portugal. He remained in office for nine years. During this period, Portugal saw steady economic growth, falling unemployment, stable public finances and greater investment in renewable energy.
His reputation as a consensus-builder within the EU led to his appointment as President of the European Council in December 2024.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was born in 1958. She is trained as a medical doctor but has spent more than 20 years in public service.
From 2005 to 2019, she served as a federal minister in Germany, handling portfolios ranging from family and youth to labour and defence.
She took charge of the European Commission in 2019 and was re-elected for a second term in July 2024. In her current mandate, she has focused on strengthening Europe’s economic independence, defence capacity and democratic institutions.
Speaking recently, von der Leyen said Europe and India had chosen “strategic partnership, dialogue and openness”.
She added that both sides were “building mutual resilience”.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, she pointed to the scale of the proposed India–EU trade agreement.
“There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP,” von der Leyen said.
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