Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the political ties between Europe and India have never been stronger, pointing to closer cooperation after the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement and the launch of a Security and Defence Partnership.Speaking at a banquet hosted in her honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, von der Leyen said, “The political ties between Europe and India have never been stronger. Our scale gives us global influence, whether in trade, security or international relations. This is why India has risen to the top of global politics, a development Europe welcomes.”She said the partnership was entering a new phase. “Just imagine what we can achieve if we combine Europe’s and India’s resources. This is precisely why we are here today. It is a decisive moment in our partnership with our free trade agreement. And this is only the beginning,” she said.Von der Leyen said the agreements send a message at a time of global uncertainty. “We are sending a strong signal to the world. In a time when the world is becoming more fractured and fractious, India and Europe are choosing dialogue, collaboration, and cooperation.”She stressed that the partnership goes beyond trade. “Today is about more than economics. Europe and India are also stepping up strategically. This is why today we launched our security and defence partnership to protect Indian interests and European interests and to bring stability and reassurance in volatile times,” she said.India and the European Union formally announced the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement and a Security and Defence Partnership earlier in the day, calling it a major step in bilateral ties.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the agreement would help stabilise the global order and boost growth on both sides.
