One of the most significant MoUs signed as part of the historic India-European Union Strategic Cooperation today is the mobility pact, enabling easy movement of Indian students, workers and professionals across EU countries. It provides a facilitative and predictable framework for business mobility covering short-term, temporary, and business travel in both directions.
The Comprehensive Framework on Cooperation on Mobility was signed by Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen and the President of the European Council, António Luís Santos da Costa, at the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi .
Delhi: The Comprehensive Framework on Cooperation on Mobility was signed by Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The exchange document took place in the presence of PM Narendra Modi, the President of… pic.twitter.com/G82QZWEaxz
— IANS (@ians_india) January 27, 2026
‘Glad we signed mobility agreement’, says EU chief
The EU chief welcomed the signing of the mobility agreement. She said, “We both know our greatest wealth are our people. That is why I’m so glad we are signing a mobility agreement… This is good for our economies. This is good for the friendship between our people, and this openness benefits us all”
Acknowledging the talent of Indian citizens across fields, she said that the pact will facilitate the movement of students, researchers, seasonal and highly skilled workers from India to Europe.
She asserted, “It brings together Indian skills, services and scale, with European technology, capital and innovation. It will create levels of growth that neither side can achieve alone, and by combining these strengths, we reduce strategic dependencies.”
The EU chief today also announced the launch of the first EU legal gateway office in India. She asserted that the office would serve as a one-stop hub to support Indian talent moving to Europe in full alignment with EU member states’ policies.
#WATCH | Delhi | President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen says, “We both know our greatest wealth are our people. That is why I’m so glad we are signing a mobility agreement. We will facilitate the movement of students, researchers, seasonal and highly skilled… pic.twitter.com/VZembCVGb8
— ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2026
Inside the India-EU mobility pact
The deal unlocks high-value commitments in services, complemented by a comprehensive mobility framework that enables the seamless movement of skilled Indian professionals. It empowers workers, artisans, women, youth, and MSMEs, while integrating Indian businesses more deeply into global value chains and reinforcing India’s role as a key player and supplier in global trade.
Under the agreement, the EU has offered commitments in 37 sectors/sub-sectors for Contractual Service Suppliers (CSS) and 17 sectors/sub-sectors for Independent Professionals (IP), many of which are sectors of interest to India, including Professional Services, Computer and related Services, Research and Development Services, and Education Services.
India has also secured a framework to constructively engage on Social Security Agreements over a five-year horizon, together with a framework supporting student mobility and post-study work opportunities.