India and the European Union will try to seal a trade deal during this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in an attempt to revive and expand economic ties. The return of Donald Trump to the White House, tensions with China and economic sanctions on Russia have prompted Brussels to push for deeper trading ties with other economies.

Von der Leyen said during a New Delhi visit that the bloc was considering a defense and security partnership with India. The EU is aiming to achieve a free trade agreement with New Delhi ahead of possible US tariffs.

Ursula von der Leyen, the first woman to lead the European Commission, is on a significant two-day visit to India. Her discussions with Indian officials focus on enhancing strategic partnerships and addressing key global issues,

India and the EU must take their strategic ties to the "next level" in an era of great power competition and geopolitical turmoils and the relationship has the potential to be one of the defining partnerships of this century,

A top European Union official on Friday highlighted the 20-year steady relationship between India and the EU, and said that both parties are ready to take the relationship to “next level”, amid a fundamental change in global dynamics.

Highlighting the need to bolster cooperation between new Delhi and Brussels in the areas of digital technology, Artificial Intelligence and defence, EU President Ursula von der Leyen termed India as a "pillar of certainty" for Europe in an "increasingly uncertain world".

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the need to strengthen the security and defense partnership with India, advocating for an ambitious trade agreement that could be the larg