Political Dialogue between India and EU

 

Political Dialogue between India and EU
India has traditionally had a multi-dimensional relationship with the EU, which is our largest trading partner, with an annual bilateral trade exceeding Euro 60 billion. The EU is one of the biggest sources of Foreign Direct Investment, major contributor of developmental aid, important source of technology and home to a large and influential Indian diaspora. India was one of the first Asian nations to accord recognition to the European Community in 1962. Since then EU has grown from a common market to a common currency and from a Community to a Union with increasing political and economic weight in the world. It was natural, therefore, that the growth of bilateral relations between India and the Members of the EU also evolved into an institutionalised dialogue with the EU itself.Our multi-faceted relationship with the European Union has deepened and matured in the past few years. As an important pillar in the multi-polar world, an enlarged EU with a common market of 550 million people, and a GDP greater than that of USA, will become an important interlocutor for India for addressing both bilateral and international challenges. The institutionalization of Summit level interaction with this powerful grouping is, therefore, of great importance to India.
The Annual Summits have been an important and effective forum to discuss all issues arising out of our multi-dimension relationship with the EU. These have been held alternately in the Country holding the Presidency of the EU and New Delhi since 2000.

First India-EU Summit

The first India-EU Summit, held in Lisbon on 28th June 2000, resolved that India and EU would build a new strategic partnership in the political and economic areas and also specified an Agenda for Action to realize this objective. “The India-EU Partnership in the 21st Century” recognised the need to build a coalition of interests in order to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, emphasized the importance of this partnership in the shaping of the emerging multi-polar world.

Second India-EU Summit

The Second India EU Summit, held in New Delhi on 23rd November 2001, reinforced the strategic depth of Indo-EU relations through the adoption of a Joint Communiqué, a Declaration against Terrorism, IT Vision Statement and the signing of agreements on S&T, and the universalization of elementary education under the “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan”. The conclusion of a Declaration against Terrorism with the EU is extremely significant and important. It emphasizes the responsibility of all states to refrain from providing moral, material and/or diplomatic support to acts of terrorism, and to prevent the use of their territory for sponsoring terrorist acts against other states. The Declaration states, “There can be no religious, ethnic, ideological or any other justification of terrorism”. It supports the fight against terrorism wherever it occurs and regardless of its motives.bilateral economic and commercial relations with our largest trading partner.

Third India-EU Summit

The Third India-EU Summit was held in Copenhagen on October 10, 2002. The Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting expressed satisfaction with the positive results of the Summit and its contribution to the consolidation of the comprehensive relationship between India and the EU, and reiterated the determination of the two sides to expand and deepen their co-operation in all areas. The statement reaffirmed the commitment of India and the EU to the shared values of democracy, pluralism and multilateralism. India & the EU also reiterated their determination to continue to combat terrorism, and expressed support to the new Transitional Authority in Afghanistan. There was a renewed commitment to intensify the high level economic dialogue and to strengthen the multilateral trade regime of WTO.

Fourth India-EU Summit

November 29, 2003 witnessed the convening of the Fourth India-EU Summit in New Delhi. The two sides renewed their commitment to democracy, pluralism, the protection and promotion of human rights and the strengthening of multilateral institutions, as embodied by the UN in particular. They also reiterated their determination to fight terrorism in all its manifestations, and called upon all nations to fulfill their commitments under UNSC Resolution 1373. Measures to further enhance trade and investment flows between the two sides were discussed, and their commitment to further strengthen the multilateral trading regime under the WTO was underlined. Among the concrete achievements of the Summit were the following:

• The signing of a Customs Cooperation Agreement;
• A Financing Agreement for the India-EU trade and Investment Programme (TIPP);
• he decision to commence negotiations on a Maritime Agreement, and on an Agreement to formalize India’s equitable participation in the Galileo Joint Undertaking.

 

5th India-EU Summit

The 5th Summit between the EU and India was held in The Hague, The Netherlands, on 8 November 2004. The Summit highlighted the considerable progress made in strengthening the EU-India relationship since the first Summit in 2000. India and EU agreed that to take forward the implementation of key actions in the following areas;

• to jointly elaborate a comprehensive EU-India Action Plan for a strategic Partnership and a new Joint Political Declaration - to encourage the holding of regular, institutionalised parliamentary exchanges between the Indian Parliament and the European Parliament.
• to install a dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation;
• to consider regular exchange of views on possibilities for co-operation on themes like resolution of conflicts, peace operations and reconstruction;
• to strengthen the flow of students and scholars between the EU and India through the funding of an India-specific scholarship programme under Erasmus Mundus;
• to set up an Energy panel to coordinate joint efforts;
• to organize joint workshops on automotive engineering, genomics and life sciences and nanotechnology
• to organize an EU-India environment forum to exchange views and information on issues of mutual interests, knowhow, technologies and on research and analyses of specific themes.

 

6th India-EU Summit

The 6th Summit held in New Delhi on 7 September 2005 endorsed a comprehensive Joint Action Plan setting out a road map for India-EU interactions in diverse sectors. The Summit focused on concrete steps to put meat to the bone of the Strategic Partnership, and besides approving an ambitious Joint Action plan, issued an updated Political Declaration on India EU Strategic Partnership. The two sides decided to set up a High Level Trade Group (HLTG), headed by Commerce Secretary and DG Trade in the European Commission to look at a range of economic issues to further enhance bilateral ties. It was also decided to substantially increase EU involvement and funding in social sectors particularly National Rural Health programme and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The Framework Agreement to formalize India’s participation in the Galileo satellite navigation project was signed in the margins of the Summit. India reiterated its desire to participate in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Project for generating energy from nuclear fusion.

7th India-EU Summit

The 7th India-EU Summit was held in Helsinki on 13th October 2006. The areas of primary focus included India-EU relationship, cooperation in counter terrorism, and energy. A Joint Statement and the Joint Action Plan Implementation Report were issued at the Summit. The highlight of the 7th Summit was the acceptance of the leadership of both sides of the recommendations of the HLTG to launch negotiations on a broad-based trade and investment agreement with the maximum coverage possible and to work towards conclusion of this agreement.

8th India-EU Summit

The 8th summit meeting is proposed to be held in Delhi on 30 November 2007
Over the years, the Business Summit has become an integral part of the Summit level dialogue. The first Business Summit in Lisbon in June 2000 focused on the key sectors infrastructure, information technology & telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and financial services. The Second Summit in New Delhi in November 2001 identified key areas of biotechnology, food processing and pharmaceuticals, IT and telecommunication, engineering and manufacturing and financial services and insurance. The Third India-EU Business Summit held in October 2002 in Copenhagen adopted a set of specific recommendations to facilitate and improve India-EU trade and investments in four sectors, namely biotechnology, textiles and clothing, power and energy as well as financial services. The Fourth Business Summit preceded the political Summit by a day, taking place in New Delhi on November 28, 2003. An India-EU Business Summit was also organized in parallel with the 6th summit in New Delhi and the seventh summit in Helsinki.

9th India-EU Summit 

The 9th India-EU Summit was held in Marseille on 29 September 2008. The leaders discussed regional and global issues and the strengthening of India-EU relations. India and the EU recognised the importance of the early conclusion of the Broad Based Trade and Investment Agreement, and the need to fulfill the expectations of businesses on both sides and to further strengthen the bilateral economic relationship. Towards this end, India and the EU expressed their commitment to achieve a balanced and ambitious outcome. While welcoming the signature of a horizontal civil aviation agreement, they encouraged the conclusion of a mutually beneficial maritime transport agreement. They also noted that joint cooperation in the framework of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Agreement remains a priority which will be further enhanced through the conclusion of a bilateral agreement between Euratom and India in the field of fusion energy research, for which negotiations are being finalised. India and the EU also announced their intention to promote dialogue and cooperation in education and culture.
The summit approved the following:
- A revised Joint Action Plan extending the strategic partnership of 2005 to new areas;
- A joint work programme on energy, clean development and climate change;
- Horizontal civil aviation agreement;
- The launch of a European Business and Technology Center in India, which shall support business-to-business and research co-operation between the EU and India.

 

10th India-EU Summit 

 

The 10th India-EU Summit was held in New Delhi on 6 November 2009. India was represented by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the EU was represented by Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden and European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso. The Summit reviewed India-EU Relations and exchanged views on developments in India and EU; recognized the need to pursue the reform of the main UN bodies with a view to enhancing the representativeness, transparency and effectiveness of the system; resolved to jointly fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestation; took note of the signing of the India-EU Agreement in the field of nuclear fusion energy research underlining the importance of energy security and clean energy; agreed to work towards early conclusion of the Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement and the Maritime Transport Agreement. The leaders also identified trade and investment, energy, counter-terrorism, science and technology, climate change, and movement of peoples and as priority areas of cooperation. 

 

European Parliament

The European Parliament in its plenary session in September 2009 approved the establishment of a India Delegation in the European Parliament and formally constituted it on 30 September 2009.There are 20 members and 20 substitutes in the delegation. Mr. Graham Watson, British MEP was elected the Chairperson.

India-EU Troika & Senior Officials Meeting

 

The 20th India-EU Troika Meeting took place in Prague on 30 June 2009. External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna led the Indian delegation. The EU side was led by Mr. Jan Kohout, Foreign Minister of Czech Republic in his capacity as the President of the European Council for External Relations. European Commissioner for External Relations Mrs. Benita Ferrero Waldner also participated in the meeting. India-EU Relations, regional issues and global issues including climate change, terrorism, global financial crisis, non-proliferation and energy security were discussed at the Troika Meeting.

There is regular mechanism of Senior Officials Meetings (SOM) between India and the EU. Two meetings were held during the year once in New Delhi on 15 June 2009 and on 28 September 2009 in Brussels.