Jaishankar meets EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, lauds her views on revitalising India-Europe relations

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday called on the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is on a two-day visit to India accompanied by members of European College of Commissioners, and appreciated her views on reenergising India’s engagement with Europe.

Pleased to call on @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen today in Delhi.

Appreciate her thoughts on reenergizing India’s engagement with Europe.

The wide ranging participation of Indian Ministers and EU College of Commissioners during this visit stands testimony to the… pic.twitter.com/Jmpd5LFOg1

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 27, 2025

Taking to X, Jaishankar said in a post on X, “Pleased to call on @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen today in Delhi. Appreciate her thoughts on reenergizing India’s engagement with Europe. The wide-ranging participation of Indian Ministers and EU College of Commissioners during this visit stands testimony to the importance we place on deeper India-EU ties.”

The EU chief arrived in the national capital earlier in the day and was received by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel.

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As soon as she landed in Delhi, she described India as a “trusted friend and strategic ally” in a post on X.

“Touchdown in Delhi with my team of Commissioners. In an era of conflicts and intense competition, you need trusted friends. For Europe, India is such a friend and a strategic ally. I’ll discuss with @narendramodi how to take our strategic partnership to the next level,” Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X.

📍Touchdown in Delhi with my team of Commissioners.

In an era of conflicts and intense competition, you need trusted friends.

For Europe, India is such a friend and a strategic ally.

I’ll discuss with @narendramodi how to take our strategic partnership to the next level. pic.twitter.com/I8ypHtwfy8

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 27, 2025

This marks Ursula von der Leyen’s third visit to India. She previously traveled to the country for a bilateral official visit in April 2022 and to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September 2023. PM Modi and President von der Leyen have also held regular meetings on the sidelines of multilateral gatherings.

The EU has recently outlined its Indo-Pacific strategy, expressing interest in deeper collaborations. Discussions may focus on formalising agreements to enhance coordination among naval forces in the region.

The visit aims to strengthen and diversify India-EU engagement across various sectors, including trade, investment, resilient supply chains, digital technologies, semiconductors, green hydrogen, clean energy, sustainable urbanisation, water management, defense, and space.

With inputs from agencies