- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday (29) held extensive talks with top leaders of the European Union (EU) in Rome, Italy, on the eve of the 16th G20 Summit. During the discussions, both sides emphasised on deepening the India-EU friendship, particularly in areas like trade, commerce, culture and environment.
Modi, who arrived in the Italian capital earlier in the day, kicked off his official engagements with a “productive interaction” with European Council president Charles Michel and his European Commission counterpart Ursula von der Leyen.
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“Official engagements in Rome begin with a productive interaction with @eucopresident Charles Michel and @vonderleyen , President of the @EU_Commission. The leaders discussed ways to enhance economic as well as people-to-people linkages aimed at creating a better planet,” the prime minister’s office tweeted.
Later, Modi described his meeting with the EU leaders as “wonderful”.
Indians in Rome give Modi a rousing welcome
“Wonderful meeting with @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen and @eucopresident Charles Michel. We had wide-ranging talks on deepening the India-EU friendship, particularly in areas such as trade, commerce, culture and the environment,” Modi tweeted after the meeting.
Wonderful meeting with @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen and @eucopresident Charles Michel. We had wide-ranging talks on deepening the India-EU friendship, particularly in areas such as trade, commerce, culture and the environment. pic.twitter.com/q1c0P6Uf7Y
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 29, 2021
In a tweet, Michel said India has a key role to play in the green transition.
“India has a key role to play in green transition. We discussed global health and fighting the pandemic, the strong EU-India Strategic Partnership, the situation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
At the @g20org in Rome with India’s PM @narendramodi together with @vonderleyen
India has a key role to play in green transition.
We discussed global health and fighting the pandemic, the strong EU-India Strategic Partnership, the situation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific pic.twitter.com/BOEc7GzkTs
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) October 29, 2021
Von der Leyen said it was “good to meet” prime minister Modi.
“Good to meet @narendramodi. Our strategic agenda is on the right track. We agreed that our trade negotiators will start to work. We’ll deepen our cooperation on climate including on innovation & technology Looking forward to cooperating in the Indo-Pacific,” she said in a tweet.
Good to meet @narendramodi. Our ???? strategic agenda is on the right track.
We agreed that our trade negotiators will start to work. We‘ll deepen our cooperation on climate including on innovation & technology
Looking forward to cooperating in the Indo-Pacific #EUGlobalGateway pic.twitter.com/O0niKM85E3
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 29, 2021
Von der Leyen also congratulated India for its “excellent progress” on vaccination and for resuming vaccines exports. “We need to join forces to help vaccinate the world and beat the global pandemic,” she said.
Her remarks came as India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against Covid-19 by administering doses to more than a billion people.
After their meeting, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of India’s ministry of external affairs, said that they held “extensive discussion” on a number of key issues.”
“Deepening ties between India and EU! PM @narendramodi met European Council President Charles Michel @eucopresident & European Commission President @vonderleyen. An extensive discussion covering trade & investment ties, climate change, COVID-19, global & regional developments,” Bagchi said on Twitter.
Deepening ties between India and EU!
PM @narendramodi met European Council President Charles Michel @eucopresident & European Commission President @vonderleyen.
An extensive discussion covering trade & investment ties, climate change, COVID-19, global & regional developments. pic.twitter.com/qoZc1rWBpt
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) October 29, 2021
The 15th India-EU summit was held in virtual mode in July 2020, which was attended by Modi, Michel and von der Leyen. In 2020, India was the EU’s 10th largest trading partner accounting for 1.8 per cent of EU’s total bilateral trade in goods. India-EU bilateral trade in goods in 2020 was valued at Euro 65.30 billion.
India-EU bilateral relations date back to the early 1960s with India being amongst the first countries to set up diplomatic relations with the European Economic Community.
The first India-EU Summit took place on 28 June, 2000, in Lisbon, Portugal. The relationship was upgraded to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ during the 5th India-EU Summit held in 2004 in The Hague, the Netherlands.
