Debate: EU-India relations
Date: WEDNESDAY, 28 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Alviina Alametsä
Country: Finland
Language: EN

Currently, the alarming situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India requires our immediate attention. At the beginning of the year, it seemed as if India had already won the battle against the virus; but, as we know, things change rapidly with this pandemic. Currently, India is facing an unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, witnessing a record number of infections and mortalities. That is why we should extend as much help as possible to the Indian people.  I fully welcome the Commission’s announcement to provide support to India following the request they made to the EU. Portugal, Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg and Sweden have so far offered their assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, and it would be very important for many more of our Member States to contribute as soon as possible.  The first shipment of assistance from Britain arrived in India yesterday, and with the situation in which the Indian Health Services are in – lacking oxygen, ventilators, other medications and also vaccinations – the speed of assistance from the EU is of the essence.  India showed solidarity with many countries earlier on in the pandemic by contributing to the COVAX system and donating free vaccines to low-income countries. Now that the tables have turned, we must show India at least the same kind of solidarity. This is a moral imperative, but it’s also a precondition for us all to one day surmount this daunting health crisis. We truly are all in this together.  This call for cooperation is exactly what I hope to also convey with our recommendations for the EU—India leaders’ summit. We need to strengthen our partnership, and while EU-India cooperation already extends to many sectors, there is plenty more to build on. Our countries have a lot in common. Both the EU and India have a strong motivation to tackle climate change and what we need now is mutual action. As the world’s largest democracies, we have all the possibilities to build climate diplomacy and promote cutting emissions globally.  However, the EU—27 and India are still the third and fourth largest emitters of CO2 emissions worldwide respectively, even though India is currently on track to achieve and go beyond its nationally determined contributions. The EU and India must both, therefore, do more to tackle climate change with ambitious targets and also by collaborating in technological innovations. We need to commit to climate neutrality and the Paris Agreement. We have the tools and skills to do this, so let’s rise to the challenge together. The EU-India high-level meeting will convene in virtual format on 8 May and will take stock of the implementation of our partnership and the roadmap 2025 that was agreed upon last July. Now I hope that the positive progress made in many areas will give us the confidence to effectively address human rights questions. We have to place human rights and our values at the heart of the EU’s engagement with India, thereby enabling a results-oriented and constructive dialogue.  This applies for both the EU and India. We need concrete goals and progress in basic rights, freedom of speech and assembly, minority rights and democracy. And I have to say that the EU is also far from reaching all of its goals in terms of human rights and democracy. So there is a lot to work on. EU-India local human rights dialogue took place recently, but this is far from enough to address the human rights concerns that should be brought to the discussion with the leaders at the highest level. The EU is currently discussing the emerging Indo-Pacific strategy and I welcome the coordination between EU and India policies in the region. We need shared commitment and cooperation for sustainable peace and security, and we also need joint efforts to integrate women and young people in decision-making, and also strategies on peace and security.  I see many possibilities for future cooperation, but now health is the priority, and we must help India. My wish is that the EU will prove our partnership with India in practice with solidarity.