The Sun (Malaysia)

EU and India to set up trade, tech council

They agree that rapid changes in the geopolitic­al environmen­t highlight the need for joint in-depth strategic engagement

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BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) and India agreed yesterday to set up a trade and technology council to step up cooperatio­n, as the bloc’s chief held talks with officials in New Delhi who have seen a flurry of top visits since the start of the Ukraine war.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is on a two-day trip to India’s capital, part of Western efforts to encourage New Delhi to reduce ties to Russia, its main weapons supplier, following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

India has refrained from explicitly condemning Russia’s invasion, while calling for an immediate end to violence. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation”.

The US is the only other country that has a technical agreement with the EU similar to the one signed yesterday with India.

“I think this relationsh­ip today is more important than ever,” von der Leyen said in her opening remarks during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We have a lot in common but we are also facing a challengin­g political landscape.”

She identified cooperatio­n on security, climate change and trade as the main areas of focus.

“Both sides agreed that rapid changes in the geopolitic­al environmen­t highlight the need for joint in-depth strategic engagement,“ an EU-India joint statement said.

“The Trade and Technology Council will provide the political steer and the necessary structure to operationa­lise political decisions, coordinate technical work, and report to the political level to ensure implementa­tion and follow-up in areas that are important for the sustainabl­e progress of European and Indian economies.”

Von der Leyen’s visit comes days after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met his Indian counterpar­t Narendra Modi, and agreed to increase bilateral defence and business cooperatio­n. Johnson was preceded by US officials and the foreign ministers of Russia and China.

The EU chief was expected to offer to increase sales of European military equipment to India and relaunch talks on a free trade deal, a senior EU official said before the talks began.

Like many European countries, India has continued to buy oil from Russia despite sanctions imposed on Moscow from the US and other developed countries.

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