NEW DELHI: The EU Council has approved the 27-nation bloc’s new strategic agenda with India, paving the way for its adoption after discussions with India at the next EU-India summit early next year. The fresh agenda looks to promote deepening of EU-India ties in sustainability, technology, innovation, security and defence, and connectivity, apart from global issues.Seeking enhanced market access, removal of trade barriers, and provisions on sustainable development, the council welcomed efforts to conclude a “balanced, ambitious, mutually beneficial and economically meaningful” free trade agreement. Both sides are looking to finalise the agreement by the end of this year.The council also took note of the intention to pursue work towards the establishment of a Security and Defence Partnership, which could also facilitate defence industrial cooperation when appropriate.It said it will continue to engage with India on all aspects of Russia’s war of aggression against the Ukraine. “The council emphasises the joint capacity & responsibility of the EU and India to safeguard multilateralism and the rules-based international order with the UN Charter at its core, as well as the multilateral trading system, in particular the WTO,” it said in a statement.
