EU Ambassador Jean-Eric Paquet Presents Credentials to President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu accepted credentials from six foreign envoys, including Jean-Eric Paquet, the new European Union Ambassador to India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on September 25, 2026. Paquet succeeds Herve Delphin and characterized the EU-India Strategic Partnership as one of the most defining relationships of the 21st century.

Paquet emphasized the momentum behind the EU-India Free Trade Agreement, which he described as the "mother of all deals" due to its potential scale covering nearly 2 billion people. He also highlighted the EU-India Security and Defence Partnership signed in January 2026 and expressed hope for a future Investment Protection Agreement. To support these goals, the EU is pursuing India's association with Horizon Europe to advance clean and digital technology.

Beyond trade, the two entities are deepening space cooperation through an extended framework lasting until January 2032. This collaboration involves data exchange between the European Copernicus program and Indian civilian satellites to improve space surveillance and disaster management.

Following the ceremony, Paquet stated that the political intensity between Europe and India is "remarkable." He pledged to transform high-level policy into tangible outcomes by engaging with tech entrepreneurs, businesses, and youth, expressing a personal ambition to visit all 28 Indian states and Union Territories during his tenure.