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.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's visit to India was described as unprecedented and landmark. During the visit, she and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed various topics including trade,

Von der Leyen is in India with 22 members of the 27-strong EU College of Commissioners for the first such visit to a non-European nation since she got a fresh mandate last year

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,

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday underscored the strategic importance of the European Union's relationship with India. Stating that focus should be on trade, economic growth and technological cooperation,

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".