India Breaks Tradition: EU Leaders as Republic Day Chief Guests, Not Putin or Trump

• For the first time, India has invited two top European Union leaders, António Luís Santos da Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, as Chief Guests for the 77th Republic Day, departing from the tradition of a single country's leader.
• This diplomatic move signals India's new strategic priorities and its growing closeness with the EU amid changing global power dynamics and strained US-transatlantic relations.
• António Luís Santos da Costa is the President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen is the President of the European Commission, leading the EU's most powerful institutions.
• The visit, from January 25-27, includes participation in the Republic Day Parade, meetings with President Droupadi Murmu, the 16th India-EU Summit, and an India-EU Business Forum.
• A major agenda item is the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is in its final stages, aiming to strengthen economic ties, diversify supply chains, and foster cooperation in defense, clean energy, and technology.

Why It Matters: India's invitation to two EU leaders for Republic Day marks a strategic shift towards block-level diplomacy and stronger EU ties.