EU Eyes Landmark Comprehensive Deal With India Ahead of Summit
India and the European Union will hold their 16th summit in New Delhi, where a new EU-India comprehensive strategic agenda is expected to be adopted
Brussels: The European Union is looking forward to a major comprehensive deal with India, which is expected to be finalised during the upcoming visit of the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council to India.
Speaking in the European Parliament, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that Europe is ready to deliver a powerful new agenda with India. She announced that the EU has agreed to move forward with the signing of a new Security and Defence Partnership, which will expand cooperation in maritime security, counterterrorism and cyber defence.
Kallas said she looks forward to signing the agreement during the EU-India Summit scheduled to take place next week in New Delhi.
India and the European Union will hold their 16th summit in New Delhi, where a new EU-India comprehensive strategic agenda is expected to be adopted.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is close to finalising a Free Trade Agreement with India, describing it as what some have called “the mother of all deals.”
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, von der Leyen stressed Europe’s intent to expand trade and international cooperation. She highlighted the scale of the proposed agreement, saying it could create a market of two billion people and account for nearly a quarter of global GDP.
She said there is still work to be done but noted that the two sides are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Von der Leyen also confirmed that she will travel to India next weekend to advance discussions on the proposed trade deal and strengthen economic relations.
Placing the India agreement in Europe’s broader global trade strategy, she said the European Union remains open to doing business with partners across the world.
European Council President Antonio Luís Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will pay a three-day State Visit to India from January 25 to 27 and will be Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
During the visit, the two leaders will co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27. They will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
An India-EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the summit. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004, with the last summit held virtually on July 15, 2020.
The participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the Republic Day celebrations and the 16th India-EU Summit is expected to further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and strengthen cooperation in key areas of mutual interest.
President da Costa and President von der Leyen are visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit comes as negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement are at an advanced stage and are expected to be completed during the visit.
