The EU is making ready to announce the creation of a brand new commerce and know-how council with India as a part of efforts to deepen their relationship and reply to the rising financial energy of China.
The brand new discussion board might be unveiled throughout conferences between Ursula von der Leyen and Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, throughout a go to by the European Fee president to New Delhi on Monday, in keeping with a senior EU official.
Von der Leyen’s discussions with the Indian authorities will embrace gross sales of European navy tools to India and potential joint ventures because the EU seeks methods of lowering India’s longstanding reliance on Russian defence know-how.
They may even cowl plans to relaunch negotiations this summer season geared toward placing a complete commerce deal between the EU and India.
The conferences can be overshadowed by the conflict in Ukraine, and India’s refusal to overtly condemn President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Western governments are hoping to search out methods of wooing New Delhi away from its longstanding relationship with Moscow, pointing partially to the risk posed by Vladimir Putin’s “no limits” partnership with China’s Xi Jinping.
Von der Leyen’s objective is to search out methods of providing India alternate options to its “dependencies” on Russia, in areas equivalent to navy tools in addition to fertilisers, mentioned the EU official. “We need to supply an excellent broader relationship with India. My sense is they’re excited about concepts [for] co-operation with us.”
A commerce and know-how council would construct on an present mannequin involving the US and EU which was launched in Pittsburgh final 12 months. Nevertheless the transatlantic format has but to show itself, given deep divergences between the US and EU on questions equivalent to digital privateness and the way hard-hitting regulation of tech giants needs to be.
New Delhi declined to touch upon the proposal for a TTC with the EU. The EU official mentioned potential matters on its agenda would come with 5G and 6G applied sciences, privateness regulation, and how one can supervise social media platforms. There was additionally scope to deepen co-operation on digital abilities.
Von der Leyen’s go to to New Delhi can be watched intently given divisions over how to reply to Russia’s conflict on Ukraine.
Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, declined to overtly criticise Modi throughout a go to this week, focusing as an alternative on areas of co-operation together with the UK’s ambitions for a commerce settlement with India.
For his half, Modi repeated his name for a right away ceasefire in Ukraine throughout Johnson’s go to and mentioned diplomacy and dialogue have been wanted.
The EU will attempt to push methods for India to loosen its reliance on key Russian exports, whereas reminding New Delhi that it expects its companions both to match EU sanctions or not less than not circumvent them.
The subject of Indian purchases of Russian oil can also be more likely to function in discussions, given the EU’s makes an attempt to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels and drive down the revenues Putin will get from its exports of oil, coal and gasoline.
The UK plans to speed up the licensing course of by which India procures weapons from Britain, in addition to extra joint navy workouts and officer exchanges.
