Essential to Stop COVID: PM Modi as India, EU Restart Trade Talks
“Our stronger partnership is essential for achieving peace and prosperity for our peoples,” PM Modi said.
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In a major bid to boost ties between them, two power centres – the European Union and India – on Saturday, 8 May, agreed to revive trade talks that had been halted for nearly eight years, reported Agence France-Presse.
Calling EU and India ‘natural partners’, the Eurpean Council’s Chief Charles Michel said that the “EU and India are opening a new chapter” in their long history of cooperation while addressing a virtual interaction attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said he had attended the virtual meet to carry-forward “the commitment to transform India-EU relationship for good.” Maintaining that a stronger partnership is essential for achieving peace, Modi welcomed the rekindling of talks for Trade and Investment Agreements, in addition to connectivity partnership.
He also said that a collaboration “is essential to stopping the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring a sustainable and inclusive recovery in a more digital and greener world.”
The talks come at a time when EU countries have sent aid in the form of medical equipment and drugs worth USD 120 million to COVID-ravaged India.
EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen noted that the bloc stood firmly with India in its hour of crisis while pledging further assistance to the nation.