A new step in India–Europe ties is set to make it easier for Indian professionals to work across European countries, as both sides move toward deeper economic and people-to-people cooperation.
At the 16th India-EU summit, held alongside the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), EU President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union will open its first Legal Gateway Office in India. Speaking as the chief guest at the Republic Day event, she said both India and Europe’s “greatest wealth is its people.”
The new office is designed to act as a single support centre for Indian talent seeking opportunities in Europe. It will help students, researchers, seasonal workers, and highly skilled professionals move to EU nations in line with member state policies.
“[The office] will be a one-stop hub to support Indian talent moving to Europe, in full alignment with EU Member States’ needs and policies. This is good for our economies. This is good for the friendship between our people. This openness benefits us all,” she said.
The initiative is expected to simplify migration for skilled workers from sectors such as IT, nursing, and engineering. It aims to address Europe’s labour shortages while supporting India’s services exports.
Official data from the European Commission shows strong Indian participation in EU work migration. In 2024, Indians received around 16,300 EU Blue Cards, the highest number issued to any nationality. These permits are meant for highly skilled workers.
For intra-corporate transfers, EU countries issued 10,200 work permits, with Indians accounting for about 3,300, or nearly 33% of the total. Indians also formed a large share of first-time EU residents, receiving around 1,92,400 residence permits in 2024, making them one of the biggest non-EU groups granted residency that year.
The Free Trade Agreement includes major trade and services commitments. Between 90% and 96% of EU goods exports to India will see tariffs reduced or removed. EU firms will gain better access to India’s financial and maritime services, while India will secure duty-free entry for textiles, leather, gems, and jewellery.
The pact aims to double EU exports to India by 2032 and create a free trade zone covering 2 billion people.
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