Why India Becomes a Priority Country in Europe’s New Immigration Policy

In 2026, the European Union is reshaping its immigration and mobility policy. Two developments stand out: the adoption of the new EU Visa Strategy and the conclusion of the EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Together, they signal a clear shift in how the EU approaches legal migration — with "India emerging as a priority partner country".

New EU Visa Strategy

The EU Visa Strategy is the first comprehensive framework aimed at making EU visa and mobility systems more strategic, digital and competitive. Its central goal is to improve legal mobility for students, researchers and skilled professionals while maintaining security and compliance. The strategy promotes faster procedures, better coordination between Member States, more digitalised applications and clearer long-stay pathways, including residence permits linked to study and work.

EU–India Free Trade Agreement

At the same time, the EU–India FTA introduces an important political layer. While primarily an economic agreement, it includes a mobility component that focuses on facilitating the movement of Indian students, researchers and professionals to the EU. Crucially, the EU has confirmed that India will be among the "first countries where new mobility tools and cooperation mechanisms are actively applied".

This includes the planned EU Legal Gateway Offices in India, designed to provide structured guidance on study, work, and residence options across EU countries. For Indian nationals, this means more transparency, better information, and fewer procedural errors when navigating complex immigration systems.

It is important to note that neither the Visa Strategy nor the FTA introduces automatic visas or free movement. National immigration rules remain in force. However, the direction is clear: India is positioned as a key source of future EU talent and legal migration pathways are being strengthened accordingly.

For students, families, and professionals from India, these developments create a more predictable, supported, and strategically aligned route to Europe — marking a new phase in EU immigration policy.