The EU has also recently declared that it has opened its first Legal Gateway Office in India, a special office to help Indian talent move to Europe legally. It was announced at the India-EU Summit in New Delhi on 27 January 2026, when the long-awaited India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was finally signed, ending two decades of talks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opined that the new office will serve as a single-stop shop to Indian students, professionals, researchers, and seasonal workers. The facility will unite visa data, mobility advice, and employer connections across Europe to streamline access to lawful migration routes and align with the labour-market needs and legal frameworks of specific EU member states.

The gateway office belongs to a greater India-EU mobility partnership framework where education, skills growth, and professional exchange are the core of the strategic alliance. Both leaders stressed that people-to-people connectivity is now a fundamental part of bilateral relations, which go hand in hand with trade and investment relations. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, in his speech at the accord, referred to the India-EU FTA as an equal and progressive pact that will create a single market of about two billion consumers. He observed that the agreement grants preferential or duty-free access to more than 99 per cent of Indian exports to the EU, which will offer significant impetus to the labour-intensive industries and SMEs. Goyal emphasized the fact that India was agreeing only after protecting the sensitive national interests at the expense of gaining substantial opportunities for exporters and service providers. He further pointed out that the move by the EU to open its first Legal Gateway Office in India strengthens the services and mobility aspect of the trade agreement in favor of the Indian professionals and students who are interested in obtaining opportunities in Europe. Combined, the trade agreement and mobility initiatives are indicators of an even stronger economic and social relationship between India and the European Union, with long-term consequences on growth and employment, as well as international interaction.