Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top European Union leaders, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, held talks on Thursday focusing on the early conclusion of the India-EU FTA and efforts to secure peace in Ukraine. Modi said the discussions also covered the implementation of the IMEEC corridor, a key connectivity initiative.
The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to speed up negotiations for the India-EU FTA, targeting completion by the end of 2025. They also spoke about organising the next India-EU Summit in early 2026, with Modi inviting both leaders to India.
On Ukraine, Modi underlined India’s consistent support for an early end to the conflict and restoration of stability. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar separately spoke with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who stressed the importance of India’s role in achieving a just peace.
The European leaders welcomed India’s continued dialogue with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and emphasised that the war has global security and economic consequences. Both sides highlighted growing cooperation in trade, investment, technology, sustainability, and supply chain resilience.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will soon visit New Delhi to accelerate FTA talks, which are making “rapid progress.”
