European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday underscored the strategic importance of the European Union’s relationship with India. Stating that focus should be on trade, economic growth and technological cooperation, the EU chief added: “The planets are aligned, and so are Europe and India”
“It is the taste of India’s legendary hospitality and today is no ordinary day. Europe and India coming together, and as I read in the news, so are the planets. Indeed today, seven planets in our solar system come into perfect alignment, and that is a very outstanding event. They say that this event signals transformation and growth, and that’s exactly the moment we find ourselves in. The planets are aligned, and so are Europe and India,” said Ursula.
Ursula, who is on a two-day visit to India, emphasised that the EU and India have the potential to form one of the defining partnerships of this century.
“Indeed, it is our first visit outside Europe since we took office in December, and this shows how much we value our partnership. We want to take it to new heights. India is a like-minded friend. We are the two largest democracies in the world, and under your leadership, Prime Minister, it has been thriving… We have to agree to work on a new strategic agenda, and I see three main avenues. First, we will work together on economic growth. The potential is immense. Europe is already india’s biggest trading partner… Now, we have tasked our teams to build on this momentum and finalize our Free Trade Agreement before the end of the year. We’re expecting a lot of our trade negotiations. We told them they should surprise us,” she added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the unprecedented visit: “This is not just the first India visit by the European Commission, but also its first such comprehensive engagement in any country. This is also among the first foreign visits of the Commission’s new regime. This is one of the early visits of the (European) Commission’s new tenure. Over two decades of strategic partnership between India and the EU is natural and organic, and in its foundation are trust and democratic values … We have had sincere and meaningful discussions, yesterday on various issues. We have asked our teams to work on a mutually benefit Free Trade Agreement and to realise it by the end of this year.”
Von der Leyen’s visit, accompanied by the entire College of Commissioners, marked a historic moment in India-EU relations. It highlighted the EU’s intent to diversify its partnerships, particularly in the wake of potential tariffs from Washington and ongoing tensions with Russia and China.
A key focus of the visit was the long-pending free trade agreement between the EU and India. Von der Leyen expressed her commitment to finalizing this agreement in 2025, which would significantly boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Additionally, discussions centered on enhancing strategic alignment, including a proposed security and defense partnership aimed at countering common threats such as cross-border terrorism and cyber-attacks.
“We must take our trade and technology council to the next level… We know that growth and economic security go hand in hand, and by sourcing the product we need from the partners we trust, we avoid harmful dependencies and build stronger economies… I want to focus on digital technologies where you (India) excel… We share the belief that technology serves the people and not the other way around. You (PM Modi) at the AI-Paris summit said that AI is writing the code of humanity, and you were so right,” the EU chief said.