Jan 9 – European Council President Antonio Costa held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, highlighting the importance of India as one of the European Union’s (EU) main global partners.
Costa emphasized the need to strengthen ties and engage in a new strategic agenda.
He also recalled meeting PM Modi during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2017 and expressed anticipation for the upcoming EU-India Summit scheduled for later this year.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Costa described the conversation as a pleasure and reflected on his long-standing friendship with PM Modi. “We’ve known each other since 2017 when he invited me to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. #India is one of our main global partners. It is time to boost our relations and engage in a new strategic agenda. Looking forward to the EU-India summit later this year. In our call, we addressed shared concerns, focusing on security, international law, and ways to collaborate in tackling geopolitical challenges in #Europe and in #Asia,” he wrote.
PM Modi reciprocated Costa’s sentiments, calling India and the EU “natural partners” committed to strengthening their strategic partnership. In his post on X, PM Modi stated, “Pleased to speak with President Antonio Costa. India and the EU are natural partners. We are committed to working closely together to further strengthen the India-EU Strategic Partnership, including in the areas of technology, green energy, digital space, trade and investments.”
Following the conversation, the Ambassador of the EU delegation to India, Herve Delphin, highlighted the leaders’ shared ambition to develop a new strategic agenda and confirmed plans to host the EU-India Summit in 2025 in India. “Important call today between leaders @eucopresident Antonio Costa and PM @narendramodi confirming the mutual EU–India ambition to develop together a new joint strategic agenda and hold an EU-India Summit in 2025 – hosted by India,” Delphin posted on X.
India’s ties with the EU trace back to the early 1960s. India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the European Economic Community in 1962, according to the Indian Embassy in Brussels.
Source: capitalfm
