European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in India on Thursday in preparation for the G20 Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.
Upon her arrival, she was warmly welcomed at the airport by Anupriya Singh Patel, Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. An elaborate dance performance was organized at the airport to mark her arrival.
India and the European Union share common interests in ensuring security, prosperity, and sustainable development in an increasingly multi-polar world. Both parties have agreed to build upon these shared interests and forge new synergies, contributing jointly to a safer, greener, more digital, and resilient world, aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.
The G20, formed in 1999, aims to maintain global financial stability by including middle-income countries. India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022, and has organized approximately 200 meetings related to G20 in 60 cities across the country. The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi will mark the culmination of a year of G20 processes and meetings involving ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.
The G20 Leaders’ declaration, concluding the G20 Summit, will affirm leaders’ commitment to the priorities discussed and agreed upon during ministerial and working group meetings.
The next G20 presidency will be assumed by Brazil in 2024, followed by South Africa in 2025.
Recently, European Union Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis held a meeting with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, highlighting the potential for a comprehensive trade and investment partnership between both sides. Discussions on market access-related issues are set to take place through the Trade and Technology Forum (TTC).
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also discussed bilateral and financial matters of mutual interest with Valdis Dombrovskis.
The EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations were relaunched last year, marking significant progress in trade relations. However, substantial challenges remain to be addressed, according to Valdis Dombrovskis.
The European Union is India’s second-largest trading partner after the United States, and India is the EU’s tenth-largest trading partner, accounting for 2 percent of EU total trade in goods. Trade in services between the EU and India reached 40 billion Euros in 2021.
The G20 Leader’s Summit is being hosted in New Delhi at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam. This marks the first time that the G20 Summit is being held under India’s presidency. The event will feature numerous global leaders and delegates and has been meticulously prepared to showcase India’s soft power and modern face.
