PM Modi, EU Leaders Review Strategic Partnership, Welcome Progress on Free Trade Agreement at G7 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France. The leaders reviewed the growing India-European Union partnership and discussed ways to further deepen economic cooperation.
‎
The meeting came against the backdrop of expanding engagement between India and the European Union, marked by the recent conclusion of the long-awaited India-EU Free Trade Agreement, a development expected to significantly boost trade, investment and economic integration between the two sides.
‎
Sharing details of the interaction in a post on social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi described the meeting as productive and highlighted the positive trajectory of India-EU relations.
‎“It was wonderful meeting European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Evian earlier today. At the start of this year, India was proud to host them for our Republic Day celebrations. This has been a great time for India-EU ties as we have concluded the Free Trade Agreement,” Modi said.
‎The Prime Minister noted that discussions focused on expanding economic engagement and leveraging the partnership to address global challenges.

‎“During our talks, we discussed how to further deepen economic linkages in the times to come. Our growing cooperation can play an important role in strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in today’s global environment,” he added.

Advertisement

‎The meeting reflected the growing strategic significance of India-EU ties, which have broadened considerably in recent years beyond trade and investment to include cooperation in technology, connectivity, clean energy, climate action, security, innovation and resilient supply chains.

‎The visit of von der Leyen and Costa to India as chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations earlier this year underscored the European Union’s commitment to strengthening engagement with New Delhi. Since then, both sides have intensified efforts to advance negotiations and deepen collaboration across multiple sectors.

‎The conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement is viewed as a landmark achievement that could unlock new opportunities for businesses, facilitate greater market access and strengthen economic resilience at a time of global uncertainty.

‎Modi is attending the G7 Summit in Evian at the invitation of the French Presidency and has been holding a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders. The summit has provided a platform for discussions on global economic growth, trade, security, climate action, technological cooperation and issues affecting the Global South.

‎The interaction with the European Union leadership is expected to give further momentum to the India-EU strategic partnership as both sides seek to translate recent progress into stronger economic, political and people-to-people ties in the years ahead.