External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New Delhi, commending her vision for revitalizing India's engagement with Europe.

This meeting was part of von der Leyen's two-day bilateral visit to India, accompanied by members of the European College of Commissioners. Jaishankar expressed his appreciation for her thoughts on re-energizing India's engagement with Europe, highlighting the significant participation of Indian ministers and EU commissioners as a testament to the importance placed on deeper India-EU ties.

Von der Leyen's visit aimed to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and the EU, with discussions expected to focus on elevating their collaboration across various sectors. These include trade, investments, resilient supply chains, digital technologies, semiconductors, green hydrogen, clean energy, sustainable urbanization, water management, defence, and space.

The EU has been keen to deepen its engagement with India, particularly in light of its Indo-Pacific strategy, which emphasizes collaboration in naval coordination and other strategic areas.

The visit also marked a significant moment for India, as the EU is its largest trading partner. India seeks to bolster its trade and investment ties with Europe, while also developing bilateral technology and defence cooperation.

The second meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was scheduled during this visit, focusing on clean technologies, digital infrastructure, and trade system compatibility.

Despite challenges such as trade barriers and intellectual property rights issues, both sides are committed to overcoming these hurdles to enhance their partnership.

ANI