'India Becoming Indispensable For Europe': EU Hints At 'Powerful Agenda' Ahead Of Delhi Visit

Europe is ready to deliver on a powerful new agenda with India, Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Wednesday. Speaking in the European Parliament, Kaja Kallas stated

that the European Union (EU) is looking forward to a major comprehensive deal with India, which is likely to be inked during the visit of the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council to India. "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, adding that India is becoming "indispensable" for Europe's economic resilience.

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India-EU trade deal to be 'mother of all deals'

Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU is nearing the completion of a Free Trade Agreement with India, and dubbed it "the mother of all deals." Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, she highlighted the deal's potential, which could unite two billion people and represent nearly a quarter of global GDP. She also stressed Europe's intent to expand trade and international cooperation."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.The President of the European Commission said she will travel to India next weekend. She said the visit is aimed at taking forward work on the proposed trade agreement and added that there is important work to be done to strengthen economic relations and deepen cooperation between Europe and India.Also Read: 'Mother Of All Deals': EU Chief Says They Stand On 'Cusp Of Historic Trade Deal' With India

President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be Chief Guests at India's 77th Republic Day celebrations. The two EU leaders will undertake a three-day State Visit to India from January 25.During the visit, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27. President Costa and President von der Leyen are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and will hold restricted as well as delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi.An India-EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the India-EU Summit.India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004 and the 15th India-EU Summit was held virtually on July 15, 2020.The Ministry of External Affairs had said in a release that India-EU bilateral engagement has expanded and deepened across a wide range of areas, particularly after the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February last year.(With agency inputs)