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On February 27 and 28, Ursula von der Leyen visited India with her team of Commissioners to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and representatives from key Ministries to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, at a time when Trump is threatening his trading partners, including the EU and India, with reciprocal tariffs.
Of course, at this moment, Trump has mainly focused on the war of exchanging economic ammunition through tariffs with China. China also announced tariffs on a range of agricultural products in response to the new U.S. tariffs. The Chinese Ministry of Finance stated on Tuesday, February 25, that it would impose additional tariffs of 10% to 15% on agricultural products ranging from soybeans and corn to dairy and beef.
The German politician stated about the India-Belgium partnership: "The competition among major powers is an opportunity." The trip of the President of the European Commission aims to increase the European Union's cooperation with New Delhi in the following areas: trade, technology, security, defense, connectivity, and global cooperation.
"The aim is for this visit to mark the beginning of this new era," said von der Leyen, while Indian Prime Minister Modi stated on his part: "This Commission College mission to India is unprecedented, it is a historic visit. The EU and India have the potential to become one of the defining partnerships of this century."
With these words, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, opened the meeting in New Delhi in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Modi. "India," von der Leyen stated, "is the largest democracy and will soon be among the top 4 largest economies in the world. It is the guiding voice of the Global South. The EU is a cross-border democracy and a unique open economy. The largest trading partner for 80 countries. This world is full of dangers. But I believe that this modern version of great power competition is an opportunity for the EU and India to revitalize their cooperation."
Regarding the three pillars (trade and technology, security and defense, connectivity and global cooperation), the President of the European Commission concluded: "I want this visit to mark the beginning of this new era. Prime Minister Modi and I share the same view. It is time to advance our EU-India strategic partnership to the next level. We are fighting for our security and prosperity. For the common global challenges we must address. And for the benefit of our respective regions and our partners around the world. Over the past thirty years, we have achieved much together. But in reality, we have only scratched the surface of the potential that exists. So it is not the time to set limits on our cooperation, nor to remain stuck in seeking agreement on every regional or global issue. It is time to be realistic and ambitious and to redefine our priorities according to today's realities."
But what is the practical significance of these commitments for future cooperation between India and the European Union? For the President of the European Commission, India can serve as a bridge between the South and the European Union, between the Indo-Pacific and Europe, as it represents a stable cushion of certainty in an uncertain world.
Europe, on the other hand, is ready to invest productively to contribute to the realization of the goal of connectivity with India. Through the Global Gateway (our global infrastructure worth 300 billion euros), Europe is set to invest in energy transfer projects throughout India and between India and the rest of the world.
Von der Leyen presented her plans, stating that this is just the beginning of the connectivity-building project between India and Europe. According to the Chancellor, "the India-Middle East-Europe corridor launched in New Delhi in 2023 during India's G20 presidency is a historic opportunity to be revitalized as it is a fantastic project. This corridor can be a modern 'Silk Road' directly connecting India, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe. With a future railway connection, exchanges between India and Europe will become 40% faster. Could this be a subtle response to Elon Musk's ambitious plan to connect New York to London in 25 minutes via a $20 billion hyper-tunnel?
And to advance the cooperation, one of the wishes of the Commission's president is the possibility of creating a free trade agreement between the EU and India. "I know well that it will not be easy," admitted von der Leyen, "but I also know that timing and determination matter, and that this partnership comes at the right time for both."
Additionally, she added her willingness to cooperate with India on semiconductors, clean technology, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and public digital infrastructure. By investing together in these technologies and building strong supply chains, the European Union and India can create a real advantage for us in today's global and competitive economy by drawing on each country's mutual capabilities and talents.
It was precisely about free trade that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke next during the press conference with Ursula von der Leyen. "We are working together with the European Union," explained Modi, "to finalize a free trade agreement by 2025: we agree to collaborate on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, iGmega computers, and 6G."
The Commission's College mission to India was described by the Indian Prime Minister as "unprecedented, a historic visit." It seems that the common ground underlying the India-EU strategic partnership is a shared belief in democratic values and respect for the citizen within a rule of law social capitalism.