PM Modi Reaffirms India-EU Strategic Partnership with Costa
Synopsis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 10, 2026, acknowledged warm wishes from European Council President António Costa and reaffirmed India's commitment to its strategic partnership with the EU, signalling intent to deepen bilateral cooperation across trade, technology, and security.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi responded to European Council President António Costa on June 10, 2026 , reaffirming the India-EU strategic partnership.
The India-EU Strategic Partnership has been in place since 2004 , covering trade, security, climate, technology, and connectivity.
Negotiations on the India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement have continued intermittently since 2007 .
The EU is among India's top trading partners and a key source of investment and technology.
António Costa became European Council President in 2024 , making this one of his early high-level exchanges with Indian leadership.
The next India-EU Summit and progress on the pending trade agreement will be the key milestones to watch.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, responded to a message from European Council President António Costa, reaffirming India's commitment to its strategic partnership with the European Union and expressing intent to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Context
Responding to warm wishes extended by President Costa via his handle @eucopresident, PM Modi stated: 'India attaches great importance to its strategic partnership with the European Union and we look forward to working together to further deepen our cooperation in the times ahead.' The exchange underscores the continued high-level diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Brussels.
António Costa, the Portuguese politician and former Prime Minister of Portugal, assumed the Presidency of the European Council in 2024, making him one of the EU's most senior institutional figures. His outreach to PM Modi reflects the EU's sustained interest in strengthening ties with India.
Policy Backdrop
The India-EU Strategic Partnership was formally established in 2004 and spans cooperation across trade, security, climate action, technology, and connectivity. The 15th India-EU Summit held in July 2020 reviewed the breadth of this relationship and launched fresh connectivity and trade initiatives.
Negotiations on the India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) have been ongoing intermittently since 2007, with periodic revivals reflecting the shared desire to formalise and expand economic ties. The EU ranks among India's top trading partners and remains a significant source of foreign investment and advanced technology transfer.
Stakeholders and Impact
The diplomatic exchange carries significance for trade negotiators on both sides who have long sought to conclude the pending BTIA. A concluded agreement could unlock substantial market access for Indian goods and services while offering European businesses a more structured entry into one of the world's fastest-growing economies.
Beyond trade, the partnership encompasses cooperation on green technology, digital regulation, and Indo-Pacific security — areas of growing mutual interest as both India and the EU navigate a shifting global order. Diplomatic officials in New Delhi and Brussels will be watching for any acceleration in summit-level engagement following this exchange.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to the scheduling of the next India-EU Summit, which serves as the principal forum for setting the bilateral agenda. Any forward movement on the long-pending trade and investment agreement will be closely tracked by industry stakeholders and policy observers on both sides.
PM Modi's response, while courteous in tone, signals New Delhi's readiness to engage actively with the EU's new institutional leadership under President Costa — a relationship that will be central to India's multi-alignment foreign policy in the years ahead.
Point of View
Which seeks to maintain robust ties with major power blocs without exclusive alignment. The exchange is notable because it comes under a new EU institutional leadership — Costa's tenure as European Council President began in 2024 — signalling New Delhi's intent to build early rapport. With the long-stalled India-EU trade agreement periodically revived and Indo-Pacific security growing in salience, both sides have concrete incentives to elevate the relationship beyond rhetoric. Whether this diplomatic warmth translates into a summit date or a breakthrough on the BTIA will be the real measure of intent.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India-EU Strategic Partnership?
The India-EU Strategic Partnership is a bilateral framework launched in 2004 covering cooperation on trade, security, climate action, technology, and connectivity between India and the 27-member European Union .
Who is António Costa and why did he message PM Modi?
António Costa is a Portuguese politician and former Prime Minister of Portugal who became President of the European Council in 2024 . He extended warm wishes to PM Modi , reflecting the EU's interest in strong ties with India .
What is the India-EU trade agreement and where does it stand?
The India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) has been under negotiation intermittently since 2007 . It aims to formalise and expand trade and investment ties but has not yet been concluded.
Why is the India-EU relationship important for India?
The EU is among India's top trading partners and a significant source of foreign investment and advanced technology. Cooperation also extends to green energy, digital regulation, and Indo-Pacific security.
When was the last India-EU Summit?
The 15th India-EU Summit was held in July 2020 , where both sides reviewed bilateral ties and launched new connectivity and trade initiatives. The next summit is awaited as a key diplomatic milestone.
