Busy weeks for India-Europe trade, diplomacy; here's what's on the menu

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, European foreign ministers and leaders are in India to attend the three-day Raisina Dialogue 2022, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

The conference, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (April 25), is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The Raisina Dialogue will be modelled along six thematic pillars.

This comes just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed travel to Europe from May 2 to May 6. According to media reports, he will have bilateral meetings with freshly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He will also address the India-Nordic summit in Copenhagen.

Also read: War impact: Russia eyes India for trade support in IT, medical equipment

Raisina Dialogue

The Raisina Dialogue 2022 is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia.

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen too is attending the conference. On Monday, she met PM Modi. They were expected to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict as well.

Also read: Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia tests “long-awaited” nuclear capable missile Sarmat

In a tweet, she said, “Strengthening the EU-India partnership is a key priority for this decade. We will step up cooperation in trade, technology and security. This is why I’m pleased that @narendramodi and I will establish an EU-India Trade and Technology Council.”

Strengthening the 🇪🇺🇮🇳 partnership is a key priority for this decade.

We will step up cooperation in trade, technology and security.

This is why I’m pleased that @narendramodi and I will establish an 🇪🇺🇮🇳 Trade and Technology Council.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 25, 2022

“The EU is India’s 3rd most important trade partner and one of its main investors. And we can do so much more. Our teams will soon begin negotiations on trade and investment agreements,” she wrote in another tweet.

The EU is India’s 3rd most important trade partner and one of its main investors. And we can do so much more.

Our teams will soon begin negotiations on trade and investment agreements.@narendramodi pic.twitter.com/zGSKsfxGmh

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 25, 2022

Ursula von der Leyen and PM Modi agreed to launch the EU-India Trade and Technology Council at their meeting in New Delhi.

“This strategic coordination mechanism will allow both partners to tackle challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security, and thus deepen cooperation in these fields between the EU and India,” European Commission said in a statement.

“Both sides agreed that rapid changes in the geopolitical environment highlight the need for joint in-depth strategic engagement. The Trade and Technology Council will provide the political steer and the necessary structure to operationalise political decisions, coordinate technical work, and report to the political level to ensure implementation and follow-up in areas that are important for the sustainable progress of European and Indian economies,” it added.

Participant countries

The foreign ministers of Argentina, Armenia, Guyana, Nigeria, Norway, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia are attending the conference, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

Former Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt, former Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed and former Australia PM Anthony Abbott are also expected to attend the conference.

The foreign ministers’ visit to the country comes days after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s two-day trip to India.

“Raisina Dialogue 2022 will have around 100 sessions with over 210 speakers from 90 countries. Some side events will also be orgainsed during the conference which will be hosted in Berlin and Washington. Raisina young fellows programme will also be conducted on the sidelines of this main conference,” said Bagchi.

Jaishankar meets other foreign ministers

On Sunday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his counterparts from Argentina, Nigeria, and the Philippines.

Jaishankar also met Ursula von der Leyen on Monday and discussed economic and political implications of the Russia-Ukraine war. He also met the Slovenian Foreign Minister Anze Logar.

Began the day by meeting FM @AnzeLog of Slovenia.

Appreciated his perspectives about Ukraine and the European Union. pic.twitter.com/QspEqN9Y3e

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 25, 2022

“Pleased to call on President of @EU_Commission @vonderleyen. Discussed taking forward the #IndiaEU partnership. Also exchanged views on the economic and political implications of the Ukraine conflict,” Jaishankar tweeted.

“Began the day by meeting FM @AnzeLog of Slovenia. Appreciated his perspectives about Ukraine and the European Union,” Jaishankar wrote on Twitter.

India-France tie-ups

India and France are expected to move ahead on the Atmanirbhar Bharat project by manufacturing air independent propulsion submarines and high thrust aircraft engines in India apart from mapping the Indian Ocean bed, said media reports.

At the Copenhagen meet, Modi is likely to push for closer ties with Nordic countries. With host Denmark, investment, clean technologies and trade are expected to top the agenda.