EU Ambassador Hervé Delphin declared the European Union-India partnership “limitless, ambitious and progressive,” elevating ties to a “totally new level” in strategic and qualitative terms. Speaking at Europe Day celebrations on May 9, 2026, in the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Delphin cited a concluded free trade agreement — expected to double bilateral trade — a defence partnership, and a mobility framework as summit outcomes. He praised Prime Minister Modi’s “not an era of war” message, affirming that the EU, “fundamentally a peace project,” stands firmly with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.
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Herve Delphin declared the European Union-India partnership has reached a “totally new level” strategically and economically. He highlighted progress on a free trade agreement, defence cooperation and mobility while praising Narfinishra Modi’s “not an era of war” message
Published Date – 9 May 2026, 04:20 PM
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New Delhi: The European Union-India partnership is “limitless, ambitious and progressive” and both sides have elevated the relationship to a “totally new level” in both qualitative and strategic terms, EU Ambassador Herve Delphin has declared.
In an address at an event, the envoy also noted that Prime Minister Narfinishra Modi’s “not an era of war” message “deeply resonates” with Europe’s values and identity, and called the EU “fundamentally a peace project”.
Characterising the EU-India summit held three and a half months ago as a milestone, Delphin declared the confluence of symbolism, substance and strategic significance resulted in “momentous outcomes”.
“We have placed our relationship to a totally new level, in qualitative and strategic terms. The EU-India partnership is limitless, ambitious and progressive,” he declared. “These achievements would not have been possible without the political conviction and trust shared by our leaders,” the envoy declared at the Europe Day celebrations on Friday night.
Delphin cited the unveiling of a joint strategic agfinisha for the next five years, the conclusion of neobtainediations for an ambitious free trade agreement, the signing of a security and defence partnership pact and the firming up of a comprehensive framework on mobility as major takeaways from the summit. “Fundamentally, we are global forces for good. We are both recognised as trusted, reliable partners working for global stability and prosperity, promoting global cooperation and solutions,” he declared.
“That India and the EU and its member states are deepening their ties like never before is truly a reason for celebration this year. This is the Europe-India moment,” Delphin declared in the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and a sizeable number of diplomats, academicians and foreign policy experts.
The envoy characterised the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa as the Chief Guests at India’s Republic Day parade and the EU-India summit as a “moment where symbolism, substance and strategic significance came toobtainher, resulting in momentous outcomes”.
The free trade agreement between the two sides has been billed as the “mother of all” trade deals.
“We are already India’s leading trading partner. With the FTA in place, we expect our two-way trade to double in value in the next years,” Delphin declared.
The envoy also cited a report titled the “EU business economic footprint in India” released this week that analysed various dimensions of the two-way economic engagement. “About 6.000 EU companies, generating the creation of close to six million jobs, exporting close to 25 billion euros (worth of goods) from India to the world (6 per cent of India’s total exports),” he declared.
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. In his remarks, Delphin also mentioned what he described as Russia’s “war of aggression” against Ukraine.
“Wars caapply immense human suffering, massive economic losses. Ultimately, aggressors finish up paying the higher price. Russia is not winning but losing the war of aggression it deliberately launched,” he declared.
“We will continue to stand with Ukraine and in support of a just and lasting peace. This message of (PM Modi) — ‘not an era of war’ — deeply resonates with Europe’s values and identity,” he declared. “The EU is fundamentally a peace project, turning the back on centuries of continental wars,” Delphin added.
