As EU-India ties reach a pivotal moment with a free trade agreement (FTA) still under negotiation, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that while the final stretch of talks is always the toughest, the outcome will be “more than worth it.” She made the remarks in an exclusive interview with The Times of India’s Sachin Parashar.
The expected conclusion of the FTA, along with the launch of a new defence and security partnership, is set to be among the two key outcomes of the EU-India summit on January 27. Von der Leyen said the defence partnership could help both sides diversify military supply chains and improve access to new capabilities.
“Both sides are working intensively to address the remaining challenges and bring the agreement over the line,” she said, adding that the EU remains committed to finding workable solutions to sticking points such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). She noted that the FTA could eliminate around €4 billion in tariffs for exporters.
Without directly referencing tensions across the Atlantic, von der Leyen underlined that cooperation between the EU and India is more important than ever at a time when values such as multilateralism, international law and democracy are under strain. She said the partnership can help safeguard the rules-based order and contribute to building a more secure and resilient global system.
On India’s relationship with Russia, von der Leyen said the EU is offering India a reliable, long-term partnership rooted in mutual security interests — “not alignment by pressure, but cooperation by choice.”
Asked about Greenland, she reiterated the EU’s commitment to upholding the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland, saying the bloc would respond to any challenge with resolve while also working to boost investment in Greenland.
Von der Leyen, who will attend the summit in New Delhi and be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade alongside European Council President Antonio Costa, said the proposed EU-India defence partnership could be a game-changer for shared security in an increasingly volatile world — from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific.
