In recent days, Indian Prime Minister Modi visited Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, and Italy. During this trip, he met with European government leaders and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss expanding cooperation between India and the EU.
Unstable world
Von der Leyen said during a European roundtable in Sweden that cooperation between India and the EU can contribute to stability in an “unstable world.” According to her, the partnership is rapidly growing in areas such as trade, security, technology, and space exploration.
The European Commission President referred to a trade agreement between India and the EU that was discussed earlier this year and, according to several involved parties, represents an important step in the relationship between the two sides. Further cooperation in the defense sector was also discussed.
Promotion
By sea and air
According to Von der Leyen, India and the EU have already held their first security and defense dialogue in New Delhi. Topics included maritime security, joint naval exercises, cybersecurity, and improved information sharing. In addition, India and the EU want to expand cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and digital systems.
The trip also focused on space exploration. Von der Leyen pointed out that Sweden hosts the only space base on the European continent and referred to recent Indian space projects. She said that cooperation in this area offers economic opportunities and can also contribute to security.
Diversifying
The talks took place at a time when European countries want to broaden their global trade relations. In several discussions, it became clear that India is becoming an increasingly important economic partner for the EU.
Von der Leyen called this a “dynamic new era” in relations between India and the European Union. According to her, both parties want to deepen their cooperation further in the coming period.