Europe backs India's AI push and supports early ratification of trade deal

European leaders back early India-EU trade deal ratification at the AI Impact Summit, deepening cooperation on AI, semiconductors, digital governance and strategic growth

European leaders and delegation members on Wednesday conveyed unanimous support for the early ratification of the India-European Union (EU) trade deal in their discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian side during the ongoing AI Impact Summit.

 

Ahead of the Leaders’ Plenary, scheduled for Thursday, the day three of the summit had a distinctly European flavour. The PM held talks with several of the 11 European heads of state and government that have arrived in the national capital to attend the first such convening in the Global South. 

Besides expressing confidence in ratifying the EU-India trade deal in the European Council and European Parliament, the leaders backed India’s AI initiatives and its needs. “India is working closely with several European countries to learn from each other and expand AI-led growth and development,” an official said. 

 

In recent diplomatic engagements, European leaders have expressed an unambiguous vote of confidence in the vitality of the India-Europe Strategic Partnership, anchored in AI, digital innovation, strategic cooperation, economic growth and shared global priorities, officials pointed out. 

They said Europe remains a hub of cutting-edge AI innovation, digital governance and responsible AI frameworks. The EU plays a prominent role in setting global norms, including for AI, and is the first bloc globally to enact comprehensive AI legislation.

 

At the AI Impact Summit, 11 European heads of state and government are participating, including France, the Netherlands, Spain, Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Slovakia, Estonia, Finland, the Swiss Confederation and Liechtenstein.

 

Two European deputy prime ministers, from the UK and Sweden, and 12 ministerial-level delegations (Germany, Italy, the EU, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland, Austria, Cyprus, Norway, Iceland, Latvia and Lithuania) are attending the summit.

 

In total, 26 European countries are officially represented at the AI Impact Summit, “the largest European delegations to any technology-focused event in India,” officials said.

 

In a related development, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, along with a strong ministerial and business delegation, landed in the national capital on Wednesday. Alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Lula is on a state visit and will attend the leaders’ plenary at the AI Impact Summit on Thursday and Friday.

 

Coinciding with the summit and its European emphasis, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy at the European Commission, jointly launched the European Legal Gateway Office, one of the outcomes of the 16th India-EU Summit held in New Delhi on January 27.  The European Legal Gateway Office will serve as an enabler and a trusted interface, facilitating access to India’s skilled talent and strengthening partner economies, Jaishankar said.

 

Virkkunen said the EU and India must build their own AI capacity using home-grown data.

 

The prime minister held bilateral talks with French President Macron on Tuesday in Mumbai. “When friends connect, innovation follows. Ready for the AI Impact Summit,” Macron, who will attend the summit on Thursday, posted on social media.

 

On Wednesday, Modi held bilateral talks with leaders of Spain, Finland, Serbia, Croatia and Estonia. Over the next two days, the prime minister is expected to meet leaders from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, the Slovak Republic and Liechtenstein. Modi also met leaders of Kazakhstan and Bhutan.

 

At their meeting, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez and Modi discussed deepening cooperation in defence, security and technology. Sánchez is on his second visit to India in less than 16 months and is accompanied by executives from technology firms and start-ups, as well as Spain’s ministers of agriculture and digital transformation.

 

Coinciding with the AI Summit, the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Indian universities and Rectors of Spanish universities is being held in New Delhi on February 19 and 20. The prime minister invited leading Spanish universities and institutions, particularly in STEM and technology fields, to open campuses in India under the New Education Policy. The two leaders also discussed opportunities arising from the India–EU free trade agreement. Spain has an almost $3bn trade deficit with India. The Spanish government is seeking improved market access for its companies, particularly in agriculture, including wine and olive oil. Ahead of his meeting with Modi, Sánchez met executives from about a dozen Indian companies, seeking fresh investment commitments.

 

The prime minister also met Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, where they discussed adding momentum to the bilateral partnership in areas such as technology, innovation, shipbuilding, the blue economy and connectivity. Plenković said that in the first 11 months of 2025, trade exchange increased by 10 per cent.

 

President of Estonia Alar Karis and Modi said they discussed cooperation in futuristic technologies, energy management and skilling. “I welcomed India cutting Russian fossil fuel imports, increasing pressure to end aggression against Ukraine,” Karis said in a social media post.

 

Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo also urged Modi to help end Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. “India and Finland aim to double trade, giving a strong boost to economic linkages. We also discussed enhancing cooperation in futuristic technologies such as 6G, innovation, clean energy, biofuels and the circular economy,” Modi said in a post on X. The leaders said they looked forward to enhancing bilateral engagement, including meeting again at the third India–Nordic Summit later this year. Modi also met Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

 

Within the EU, France has been at the forefront of shaping discourse on AI governance and applications. President Macron had co-chaired the AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025 with Modi.

 

The Netherlands and Belgium host critical companies in the semiconductor supply chain, including ASML and IMEC, while Germany is Europe’s leading semiconductor hub, with the presence of major companies including TSMC, Intel, Infineon and Bosch.

 

Estonia is a global leader in AI, ranking sixth worldwide for AI start-ups and first in the EU, according to the 2024 edition of the United Nations E-Government Survey. Denmark is home to Gefion, one of Europe’s most powerful AI supercomputers, while Switzerland hosts leading research institutes, including ETH Zurich and EPFL. Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia and Iceland continue to expand national AI strategies, high-performance computing infrastructure, industrial digitalisation and regulatory sandboxes.

 

The India-EU Trade and Technology Council is driving collaboration in AI, semiconductors, telecoms, high-performance computing and supply chains. With the Netherlands and Spain, India has fast-expanding cooperation in semiconductors, AI, digital innovation and renewable energy, with 2026 designated as the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and AI. India and Czechia adopted their Strategic Partnership on Innovation in 2024.

 

In another development, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held talks with Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry Ebba Busch, discussing expanded collaboration in 5G and 5G-Advanced use cases across healthcare, agriculture, smart cities and rural connectivity. They also discussed early engagement in 6G research.

 

On Thursday, the prime minister will inaugurate the expo at the summit, which features more than 600 high-potential start-ups and 13 country pavilions. Alongside Modi, the opening ceremony will be addressed by French President Macron, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and leading global industry figures. Modi and other leaders will participate in the Leaders’ Plenary scheduled for around noon.