NEW DELHI, Nov 27: India and the European Union held three key meetings during which they assessed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, took stock of the ongoing FTA negotiations and underscored the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine.
They reiterated their shared commitment to promoting a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, and India welcomed the EU’s “increasing engagement” in the Indo-Pacific region, the ministry of external affairs said.
India and the EU held the 5th Strategic Partnership Review Meeting on November 22 in Brussels. The Indian side was led by secretary (West) in the MEA, Tanmaya Lal, and the EU side was led by Simon Mordue, deputy secretary general for economic and global issues, European External Action Service (EEAS).
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The 10th India-EU Foreign Policy and Security Consultations and the 10th India-EU Energy Panel were also convened on November 21.
Lal also met Stefano Sannino, secretary general, EEAS. The meetings were held during the 20th anniversary year of the India-EU Strategic Partnership and in the backdrop of intensification of engagement between India and the EU and its member states, the MEA said in a statement.
“The meetings assessed the full spectrum of the bilateral cooperation between India and the EU and the implementation of the detailed commitments set out in the ‘India-EU Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025’ agreed during the 15th India-EU Summit in 2020. The exchanges also focused on future priorities for India-EU ties and the new impetus in relations,” it said.
“The commitment by President von der Leyen in the Political Guidelines for 2024-2029 to develop a new India-EU strategic agenda was welcomed,” the statement said.
The discussions focused on a broad range of topics, including economic security, green transition, defence and security cooperation, migration, mobility, India-EU Connectivity Partnership, Global Gateway, and IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), the MEA said.
“Both sides also discussed furthering cooperation in the sphere of innovation, science and technology, including positive developments in the context of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), and the opportunities to increase people-to-people contacts in education and research,” it added.
They also took stock of the ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Investment Protection Agreement and Agreement on Geographical Indications and agreed on their importance.
The two sides also underscored the “need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with international law and consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter”, the statement said.
“They expressed their deep concern at the situation in the Middle East/West Asia and underlined the need for early restoration of peace and stability,” it added.
Both sides also underlined the importance of the India-EU Strategic Partnership in addressing global challenges.
“They reiterated their shared commitment to promoting a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific. India welcomed the European Union’s increasing engagement in the Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
“Both sides emphasised that the rules-based international order must respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of disputes,” the statement said. (PTI)
