European Commission Chief To Visit India Next Week, Hold Talks With PM Modi

| Updated: 20 April, 2022 1:19 pm IST
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (file photo)

 

NEW DELHI: To further strengthen relationships between the European Union (EU) and New Delhi, European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen will pay her maiden visit to India and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week.

Leyen will be in New Delhi on April 24 and April 25 during which she will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, as per the Ministry of External Affairs.

This visit aims to reinforce the cooperation between India and the European Union (EU) in all areas, the commission said in a tweet.

The European Commission chief has been invited as the Chief Guest for this year’s edition of Raisina Dialogue and will address the inaugural session on April 25.

In a statement, the MEA said, “India and the European Union share a vibrant Strategic Partnership which has been witnessing strong growth with wider and deeper co-operation in Political and Strategic, Trade and Commerce, Climate and Sustainability, Digital and Technology aspects as well as people-to-people ties.”

During their meeting in May 2021, India and the EU decided to resume trade talks and the launch of India-EU Connectivity Partnership.

India and the EU will review progress of the multifaceted partnership during Leyen’s visit.

Raisina Dialogue, which will be addressed by the European Commission chief, is a high-level forum on geo-politics and geo-economics convened by Ministry of External Affairs and New Delhi based think tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

The first edition of Raisina Dialogue took place in New Delhi in March 2016. During the outbreak of pandemic, the dialogue was convened hybrid mood in 2021 with minimum physical participation in New Delhi.

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