Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India and the European Union have concluded long-running negotiations on a landmark free trade agreement, a move leaders on both sides described as historic, as European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa highlighted his personal connection to India through his Goan roots.Costa, who led the EU delegation alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, underlined the emotional significance of the visit. “I’m the President of the European Council, but I’m also an overseas Indian citizen. Then, as you can imagine, for me it has a special meaning. I’m very proud of my roots in Goa, where my father’s family came from and the connection between Europe and India is something personal to me,” he said.Costa’s family history traces back to Goa, the former Portuguese colony, where his grandfather was born and lived for much of his life. His father, Orlando da Costa, was a noted writer whose work reflected strong Goan influences. He is still known by the Konkani nickname ‘Babush’.The diplomatic engagement came as von der Leyen announced the conclusion of the trade deal. “Europe and India are making history today. We have concluded the mother of all deals. We have created a free trade zone of two billion people, with both sides set to benefit. This is only the beginning. We will grow our strategic relationship to be even stronger,” she said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the agreement, calling it the “Mother of all deals” and saying it would boost global confidence in India and benefit manufacturing and services, linking two major economies that together account for a quarter of global GDP.
