'Successful India makes world more stable'

The presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa at the Republic Day celebrations emphasises the growing strength of the India-European Union (EU) partnership and will deepen bilateral cooperation across sectors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

- HT Correspondent

Von der Leyen, who has said that India and the EU are coming together to provide an alternative to a “fractured world”, remarked on social media that it was “the honour of a lifetime” for her and Costa to be chief guests at the Republic Day parade. “A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure. And we all benefit,” she said.

This is only the second time that India has invited the leaders of a bloc — after Asean in 2018 — to be chief guests at the annual display of the country’s military might.