EU’s India summit in early 2016

KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 16

Sensing a change of mood in India to improve bilateral relations, the European Union (EU) is laying accent on providing impetus to its multi-faceted engagement with New Delhi and working to hold an India Summit meeting during early 2016.

“The process of opening a new page in bilateral relations has begun and we will be able to achieve much more... have noticed a change of mood in bilateral relations,” said Tomasz Kozlowski, head of an EU delegation to India, told a select group of media sharing his sense of optimism.

India and EU are on the verge of arriving at a new agreement on Migration and Mobility to facilitate legal migration and protect against illegal migrants and human trafficking. “The negotiations are on and both sides are ready to have an agreement,” he said.

The career-diplomat who began his innings here recently said the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, and Jean Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, at Paris last month renewed the process of bilateral engagement.

While trade relations remains on top of the agenda, he said, EU was keen on participating in the government’s flagship programmes, especially Clean Ganga and water management, Urban Development, Renewable Energy and Green Technology, ICT, Smart City and Digital India Initiative, Innovation and Science and Technology.

Underscoring EU commitment in these sectors, he said during the last five years the European Investment Bank, extended credit lines worth Euro 1 Billion (Rs 730 crores) at concessional rates to commercial banks and infrastructure companies in climate change, small and medium industry funds etc.

At the 5th India-EU Summit in 2004, the relationship was upgraded to a “Strategic Partnership” and both countries have a joint working group on Counter-Terrorism which reports to the umbrella Security Dialogue that includes on non-proliferation and disarmament Cyber-Security and Counter-Piracy.