Emirates Flight, First Class, Arrival At 2:42 PM: Inside Details Of EU Chief Ursula Von Der Leyen’s Flight To Delhi To Sign Mother Of All Deals

Amid high anticipations linked to the likely signing of India-EU FTA, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has landed in Delhi on Saturday, January 24, 2026, sources exclusively told Republic Media Network.

After having described the India-EU FTA as “mother of all deals” during the Davos Summit 2026, EU Chief will partake in 77th Republic Day celebrations, and co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on 27 January 2026, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement. 

Key Flight, Itinerary Details Of Republic Day Chief Guests 

EU Chief Ursula Von Der Leyen landed in Delhi Airport's Terminal 3 on Saturday, January 24 at 2:42 pm. She was travelling first class from Brussels onboard an Emirates flight - Ek516.

Also Read: India-EU FTA Likely Next Week: 5 Expectations From Mother of All Deals

Meanwhile, European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa is slated to arrive in India on January 25 onboard the Emirates flight - Ek516. 

During this vital visit, European Council President Costa, and EU Chief Von Der Leyen will “hold restricted and delegation level talks with Prime Minister Modi,” according to MEA. An India-EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the India-EU Summit, it said. 

Ahead of arriving in Delhi today, European Commission President said, “There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP.”

Top Highlights Of India-EU Ties

The trade ties between India and the EU date back to 1962 after the south Asian nation developed diplomatic relations with the European Economic community. Let's take a look at key trade moments between the EU and India.

• The European Union emerged as India’s top goods trading partner in 2024–25
• India's services exports doubled to €37 billion between 2019 and 2024
• Talks underway for a new India–EU Security & Defence Partnership
• Over 9.3 lakh Indians reside in the EU, strengthening mobility and education links
• The upcoming 16th India–EU Summit (Jan 2026) indicates strong bilateral ties.