Kaja Kallas, the EU Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, arrived in the national capital on Saturday on her first official visit to India.
Welcoming her visit, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it comes at an opportune moment to further strengthen the India–EU Strategic Partnership, building on the momentum of regular high-level engagements.
“A warm welcome to EU HRVP @kajakallas on her first official visit to India as the EU High Representative/Vice-President. The visit comes at an opportune moment to further strengthen the India–EU Strategic Partnership, building on the momentum of regular high-level engagements,” he posted on X.
Speaking in the European Parliament on Thursday, Kallas said Europe is ready to advance a new agenda with India and announced that the EU has agreed to move forward with the signing 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,” she said.
India and the European Union will hold the 16th summit in New Delhi, where a new comprehensive strategic agenda is expected to be adopted.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is close to finalising a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, describing it as what some call “the mother of all deals.”
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, she underlined Europe’s intent to expand trade and international cooperation, saying, “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 two billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP.”
Von der Leyen said she will travel to India next weekend to advance work on the proposed trade agreement and deepen economic cooperation.
European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula 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.
During the visit, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India–EU Summit on January 27. They will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
An India–EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the summit. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The 15th India–EU Summit was held virtually on July 15, 2020.
The participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the Republic Day celebrations and the 16th summit is expected to further deepen the India–EU Strategic Partnership and advance cooperation in priority areas.
President Costa and President von der Leyen are visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their visit comes amid advanced negotiations on the India–EU Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to progress significantly during the visit. (ANI)
