PM Modi hails India-EU ties ahead of mega summit; Republic Day guests underscore partnership

• PM Modi welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa as Republic Day chief guests.
• Their presence at Kartavya Path highlights the growing strength of the India-EU partnership and shared values.
• A major India-EU Summit is expected to announce a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), mobility agreement, and security and defense partnership.
• The FTA, dubbed the "mother of all deals" by von der Leyen, aims to boost trade between India and the EU.
• The India-EU trade deal gains urgency after US President Donald Trump's trade war, positioning the EU as India's largest trading partner.

Why It Matters: India and the EU are set to deepen their strategic and economic partnership with a major trade deal.