New Delhi: India's Former ambassador Jitendra Tripathi said that India-EU relations have always been quite on the ascendancy. It was only once or twice that incidents in the past strained the relationship. It was during the revocation of Article 370, when some of the EU nations including the UK at that time, criticized India. Otherwise, the relationships have been always better.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated virtually in the much-awaited India-EU leaders meeting along with the leaders of all the 27 EU Member States as well as the President of the European Council and the European Commission.
This is the first time that the EU hosted a meeting with India in the EU+27 formats. The meeting was the initiative of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the MEA informed.
“The India-EU leaders summit depicts the good relationships between the two. EU has come forward with an open hand to rush medical supplies and assistance to India at this hour of crisis, which reciprocated India’s eagerness to help the world during the crisis time, Tripathi further told ETV Bharat.
The dialogue between the world’s two largest democracies provided a new impetus to the partnership between the two, bolstering international trade and investment.
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The India –EU Leaders meeting is significant in a way that, it is crucial to rebalancing relations between the EU and the Indo-Pacific.
Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “I thank the leaders of EU and its Member States for their continued commitment to strengthening relationship with India. I also thank my friend Prime Minister @antoniocostapm for this initiative and according to high priority to India during Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council”.
“Our collaboration is essential to stopping the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring a sustainable and inclusive recovery in a more digital and greener world”, he added.
Pertinently, the India-EU partnership has always been marked by mutual support and solidarity. The COVID crisis stands as a great example in this regard. Both have supported each other and the rest of the world. India extended medical supplies to Europe earlier and now the EU has extended assistance to India as it experiences a second wave of COVID-19.
During the meeting, the leaders expressed their desire to further strengthen the India-EU Strategic Partnership based on a shared commitment to democracy, fundamental freedoms, rule of law and multilateralism.
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They exchanged views on three key thematic areas including foreign policy and security; COVID-19, climate and environment; and trade, connectivity and technology.
They discussed forging closer cooperation on combating the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery, tackling climate change, and reforming multilateral institutions. India appreciated the prompt assistance provided by the EU and its member states to combat its second COVID wave.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders welcomed the decision to resume negotiations for balanced and comprehensive free trade and investment agreements. Negotiations on both the Trade and Investment Agreements will be pursued on parallel tracks to achieve an early conclusion of both agreements together.
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This is a major outcome that will enable the two sides to realize the full potential of the economic partnership. India and the EU also announced dedicated dialogues on WTO issues, regulatory cooperation, market access issues and supply chain resilience, demonstrating the desire to deepen and further diversify economic engagement, MEA added on Saturday.
The MEA official also added that PM has invited EU member states to participate in India-EU High-Level Digital Forum that's likely to be held later this year, to enhance digital cooperation between India and EU via linking of start-ups supporting the digital economy and for enhancing investments.
“Both the sides launched an ambitious and comprehensive ‘Connectivity Partnership’ which is focused on enhancing digital, energy, and transport and people-to-people connectivity. The Partnership is based on the shared principles of social, economic, fiscal, climate and environmental sustainability, and respect for international law and commitments.
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The Partnership will catalyse private and public financing for connectivity projects. It will also foster new synergies for supporting connectivity initiatives in third countries, including in the Indo-Pacific”, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The leaders reiterated their commitment to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and agreed to strengthen joint efforts for mitigation, adaptation and resilience to the impacts of climate change, as well as providing means of implementation including finance in the context of COP26.
Further, India welcomed the EU’s decision to join CDRI. India and the EU also agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation on digital and emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, Quantum and High-Performance Computing including through the early operationalization of the Joint Task Force on AI and the Digital Investment Forum.
The leaders noted with satisfaction the growing convergences on regional and global issues, including counterterrorism, cybersecurity and maritime cooperation. They acknowledged the importance of a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific and agreed to closely engage in the region, including in the context of India’s Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative and the EU’s new strategy on the Indo-Pacific, the statement issued by MEA added.
