The European Union has agreed to move forward with the signature of a new Security and Defence Partnership with India, announced EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on Wednesday, in the European Parliament.
A comprehensive deal between India and the EU is likely to be inked during the visit of the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council to India next week for the 16th summit in New Delhi.
“Europe is ready to deliver on a powerful new agenda with India. Today, the EU agreed to move forward with the signature of a new Security and Defence Partnership. It will expand our cooperation in areas such as maritime security, counterterrorism, and cyber defence. I look forward to signing it next week during the EU-India Summit in New Delhi,” Kallas said.
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, had previously said the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with India is rightly being described as the “mother of all deals”. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, von der Leyen stressed on Europe’s intent to expand its trade basket, which the FTA with India will help in.
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“There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP,” von der Leyen said.
Referring to her impending visit to India, she said it is aimed at taking forward work on the proposed trade agreement that supports Europe’s larger global trade approach and underscores the bloc’s intent to being open to doing business with partners worldwide.
European Council President, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, and 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, a visit which will further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest.
During the visit, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit to be held on January 27. They are also scheduled to meet President, Droupadi Murmu, and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There may also be an India-EU Business Forum organised on the sidelines of the India-EU Summit.
India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The 15th India-EU Summit was held virtually on July 15, 2020.
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