PM Modi participates in the summit meet with 27 European Union heads of state
- In Reports
- 10:33 PM, May 08, 2021
- Myind Staff
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the meeting of the European Council on May 8 as a special invitee, at the invitation of the President of the European Council Charles Michel.
In this meeting, PM Modi participated along with the Heads of State of all the 27 European Union Member States.
The meeting is unique as it is in the EU+27 format. The summit was originally scheduled to be held physically in Porto, Portugal’s second largest city.
The leaders are expected to be exchanging views on the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare cooperation; sustainable and inclusive growth; strengthening the India-EU economic partnership as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The Indo-Pacific partnership is expected to get a great boost at the summit following the EU’s declaration of an Indo-Pacific strategy last month.
Ahead of the virtual India-EU leaders' meeting on May 8, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had a telephonic conversation with PM Narendra Modi, during which the two leaders exchanged views on the existing COVID-19 scenario in India and the EU.
"Good call with the Prime Minister in preparation for the EU-India Summit. Team Europe stands in deep solidarity with our democratic partner India. We are providing rapid support and are delivering assistance to fight COVID-19," Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet on Monday.
"There is clear momentum to strengthen our strategic relations on trade, digital, climate change & multilateralism. I'm encouraged by the prospect of intensifying our trade & investment relations. This would tap into a huge potential to the benefit of our businesses & citizens," she said.
According to the official statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), PM Modi expressed his appreciation of the EU and its member states for mobilizing rapid support for India's fight against the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to an Economic Times report, the leaders are expected to announce on Saturday, the resumption of free trade agreement (FTA), talks that were deadlocked over several issues, including tariffs, market access and data security status, eight years ago.
The report added that India and the 27-member EU could also announce their commitment to conclude a connectivity document, a pact to counter terror and the formation of a task force for collaboration in artificial intelligence.
During the summit today, several EU leaders individually thanked India for the medical supplies last year as Europe battled the pandemic. All the EU leaders extended solidarity and support to the people of India and the government amid the COVID crisis. French President Macron pointed out that India does not need to "listen to lectures from anyone" about vaccine supplies.
He elucidated that India has "exported a lot for vaccines for humanity" while mentioning the situation in the country due to COVID. Spain PM Pedro Sánchez warmly recalled Indian assistance last year when Spain faced tough times due to this pandemic.
Moreover, Portuguese PM António Costa in the presence of all EU leaders proudly referred to his status as an OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India).
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the India-EU summit a "watershed" moment saying the meeting created a new momentum in ties.
Image courtesy: Twitter@MEAIndia
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