Portrait of Ursula von der Leyen
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Ursula von der Leyen on India

Trade agreement champion (strong)

TL;DR

Ursula von der Leyen strongly champions a deepened EU-India partnership, highlighted by concluding a landmark free trade agreement.

Key Points

  • She declared that the EU and India made history in January 2026 by concluding a landmark, ambitious free trade agreement.

  • The agreement will grant EU companies privileged access to the Indian services market, including the most ambitious commitments on financial services India has given any partner.

  • A Memorandum of Understanding is intended to establish an EU-India platform for cooperation on climate action, launching in the first half of 2026.

Summary

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen views India as a critical partner for the European Union, emphasizing the deepening of their strategic ties, particularly through economic agreements. Her core position is one of strong advocacy for rules-based cooperation, exemplified by the conclusion of a historic, ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and India. She stated that this deal creates a free trade zone of two billion people and signals to the world that cooperation can deliver great outcomes, marking a significant step in strengthening economic and political links between the world's largest democracies.

The context for this position is the relaunch of negotiations in 2022, after an initial suspension in 2013, leading to the January 2026 conclusion of the FTA, which India has granted unprecedented market access to. The agreement aims to double EU goods exports by 2032, granting privileged access to key EU sectors like cars and agri-food, though sensitive products are protected. Furthermore, her stance includes a commitment to sustainability, with a dedicated chapter on trade and development, and a planned EU-India platform for climate action cooperation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ursula von der Leyen views India as a key partner, focusing on deepening the relationship between the world's biggest democracies. Her position is strongly positive, centered on enhancing economic ties through significant agreements.

She champions the recently concluded free trade agreement as historic and commercially significant, creating a massive free trade zone. Ursula von der Leyen views it as proof that rules-based cooperation yields great outcomes.

She oversaw the successful conclusion of negotiations for the EU-India Free Trade Agreement, which was originally launched in 2007. The President also supports launching a dedicated cooperation platform for climate action with India in 2026.