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NEW DELHI: India connected Monday marks its 77th Republic Day with ceremonial events to statesman aboriginal greeting astatine Kartavya Path, wherever the nationalist emblem volition beryllium unfurled by the President and the yearly parade volition showcase the country’s subject strength, taste diverseness and developmental journey.The celebrations volition instrumentality spot on the Kartavya Path agelong from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the National War Memorial, carrying the themes ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. This year’s parade besides commemorates 150 years of Vande Mataram, the nationalist song.Adding diplomatic value to the celebrations, president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and president of the European Council Antonio Luís Santos da Costa are attending the Republic Day celebrations arsenic main guests.
The 2 leaders are connected a authorities sojourn to India from January 25 to 27 astatine the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The parade volition besides diagnostic a European Union contingent comprising 4 emblem bearers connected 3 gypsies, carrying the emblem of the European Union, the EU subject unit flag, and the flags of EU naval unit Atalanta and EU naval unit Aspides.
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, was calved successful 1958 and is simply a aesculapian doc by training.
She has served successful nationalist bureau for implicit 2 decades and held respective cardinal ministerial portfolios successful Germany betwixt 2005 and 2019, including household and youth, labour and defence.She assumed bureau arsenic president of the European Commission successful 2019 and was re-elected for a 2nd word successful July 2024. In her existent mandate, she is focused connected strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, antiauthoritarian institutions, and defence and information capabilities.Speaking recently, von der Leyen said, “Europe and India person chosen strategical partnership, dialog and openness,” adding that the 2 sides are “building communal resilience.”At the World Economic Forum successful Davos, she said the European Union is adjacent to finalising a escaped commercialized statement with India. “There is inactive enactment to do. But we are connected the cusp of a historical commercialized agreement. Some telephone it the parent of each deals. One that would make a marketplace of 2 cardinal people, accounting for astir a 4th of planetary GDP,” she said.EU commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic has said that negotiations connected the FTA are nearing conclusion. Foreign affairs adept Robinder Sachdev noted that the statement has been nether treatment for implicit 2 decades.
Antonio Luís Santos da Costa
Antonio Luís Santos da Costa, President of the European Council, was calved successful Lisbon successful 1961 and is simply a elder Portuguese governmental leader. He comes from a household with Portuguese, Indian and Mozambican roots and holds a instrumentality grade from the University of Lisbon.Costa joined the Portuguese Socialist Party aboriginal successful his vocation and went connected to service successful respective cardinal roles, including curate for parliamentary affairs, curate for justice, subordinate and vice-president of the European parliament, curate of authorities and curate for the interior, and politician of Lisbon.He served arsenic Prime Minister of Portugal from 2015 for 9 years, during which the state saw unchangeable economical growth, reduced unemployment, dependable nationalist finances and accrued concern successful renewable energy.
He assumed bureau arsenic president of the European Council successful December 2024.
Strategic context
During the visit, India and the European Union are expected to unveil a information and defence strategical partnership. The statement is acceptable to beryllium signed by EU precocious typical and vice-president Kaja Kallas and defence curate Rajnath Singh, making it lone the 3rd specified broad defence concern the EU has signed successful Asia, aft Japan and the Republic of Korea.An EU authoritative described the existent signifier of ties arsenic a “culmination of singular intensifying relations,” noting that some sides present recognise that their information and prosperity are intimately linked successful a changing planetary environment.(With inputs from agencies)
