New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen kick-started her four-day visit to India to firm up a series of big-ticket initiatives to significantly expand two-way ties.

President of the European Council Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on January 27 amid increasing global concerns over disruptions caused by the Trump administration's economic and security policies.

Costa will land in the national capital on Sunday. The two European Union leaders will grace the Republic Day celebrations as the chief guests on January 26.

At the summit, India and the EU are set to announce the conclusion of the much-awaited free trade agreement and firm up a strategic defence partnership pact and a framework for mobility of Indian professionals.

Union Minister Jitin Prasada welcomed von der Leyen at the airport.

"Charting the next phase of the India-EU Strategic partnership. A warm welcome to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen, on her State Visit to India," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'.

"As the world's two largest democracies, India and the EU share a partnership rooted in mutual trust and shared values," he added.

The ties between India and the EU have been on an upswing in the last few years.

The EU, as a bloc, is India's largest trading partner in goods. For the financial year 2024-25, India's total trade in goods with the EU was worth about USD 136 billion, with exports around USD 76 billion and imports at USD 60 billion. PTI MPB RT RT

India EU summit to finalise a free trade agreement, a strategic defence pact, and a professional mobility framework. The summit will finalise a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to govern tariff and non tariff measures, establish a Strategic Defence Partnership pact to structure defence cooperation and technology collaboration, and create a Mobility Framework to regulate movement of Indian professionals for services and employment across EU member states, all anchored on existing bilateral trade relations.