Debate: EU-India relations
Date: WEDNESDAY, 28 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

First I would like to thank the rapporteur Alviina Alametsä and colleague MEPs who have worked to prepare the report you are presenting here today. It could not be more timely and comprehensive. In January last year, the first visit outside the EU of Mr Borrell as VP/HR was to India. This is a clear sign of the importance the EU attaches to our relations.  The EU—India strategic partnership still has a lot of untapped potential, and since last July’s summit we have observed a step change in the intensity of our exchange. We are at a crucial juncture in the consolidation of the EU—India strategic partnership. Only ten months after the July 2020 summit, we are preparing a virtual EU—India leaders meeting next week, with all EU—27 heads of state and government attending, together with Prime Minister Modi and the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission. The response to the COVID—19 pandemic and the aim to jointly build global health preparedness and resilience is at the heart of the upcoming meeting. India is particularly hard hit, and the EU has offered its concrete support. We have now activated the EU civil protection mechanism upon request from India and we are doing our utmost to mobilise assistance rapidly by coordinating EU Member States that are ready to provide support. So far 15 Member States have offered concrete support in the form of liquid oxygen, ventilators and medicine.  Another shared challenge is climate change. At the leaders meeting we also hope to confirm ambitious commitments ahead of the COP26. India’s contribution to the Paris goals is essential for attaining the ultimate target of carbon neutrality. As we speak, the EU—India climate change dialogue is taking place.  We aim to cooperate more closely with India on all aspects of the digital transformation, and we are preparing the first meeting of the Joint Task Force on Artificial Intelligence. Trade and investment relations is also an area in which our cooperation can grow. We also strive to deepen cooperation with India on foreign affairs and security for a safer, prosperous and more democratic world, from Afghanistan to Myanmar to eastern Africa. There is big potential for working together now that India is a non—permanent member of the UN Security Council, sits on the UN Human Rights Council and will hold the G20 Presidency in 2023.  India has a pivotal role in the defence of a free, open, inclusive and rules—based Indo—Pacific space. The most recent Council conclusions on the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo—Pacific will enable the EU to engage much more with India on this. We also plan to launch an EU—India connectivity partnership which should cover the areas of digital energy, transport and human connectivity, through bilateral cooperation, but also by converging our efforts to better connectivity with third countries and regions. Human rights and democratic values are also at the heart of our engagement with India. Your report highlights a number of concerns. Let me assure you that the EU raises these matters with India through different channels. Earlier this month, in the Ninth EU—India human rights dialogue, the EU expressed the need for greater engagement on several human rights issues and we underlined the important role that civil society actors and journalists play in a vibrant democracy. Further, we agreed to enhance our cooperation in international fora, particularly at the UN General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council.  Finally, let me stress that the Commission attached great importance to the parliamentary dimension of the EU—India strategic partnership and we welcome the recent understanding reached between this Parliament and the Lok Sabha to intensify interparliamentary exchange.