New Delhi, Feb 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday welcomed the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen as she arrived at the Hyderabad House in the national capital for bilateral talks.

The President of the 27-nation bloc is on a two-day bilateral visit to India, accompanied by members of the European College of Commissioners.

The visit was announced by von der Leyen at Davos January 21 and she had said that a new strategic agenda with India will be presented this year at the EU-India Summit.

Earlier in the day, India and the EU held a bilateral cluster meeting in New Delhi, and discussions focused on connectivity, the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), green and clean energy, mobility and talent, security, the Mediterranean, and the expansion of the European Union.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner and EU Commissioner for Mediterranean and Demography Dubravka Suica participated in the meeting.

In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Pleased to participate in the India-EU bilateral cluster meeting this morning alongside Commissioners @JozefSikela, @dubravkasuica, @MartaKosEU, @magnusbrunner of @EU_Commission and my colleagues @KVSinghMPGonda & @nityanandraibjp."

"Our conversation focused on connectivity and IMEC, green and clean energy, mobility and talent, security, Mediterranean and EU expansion," he added.

Yesterday, EAM Jaishankar called on the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and lauded her views on reenergizing India's engagement with Europe.

"Pleased to call on @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen today in Delhi. Appreciate her thoughts on reenergizing India's engagement with Europe. The wide-ranging participation of Indian Ministers and EU College of Commissioners during this visit stands testimony to the importance we place on deeper India-EU ties," Jaishankar said in a post on X.

Since 2004, India has been a strategic partner of the EU, and 2022 celebrated the 60th anniversary of the relations.

The collaboration between the EU and India from 2020 to 2025 is steered by the EU-India Strategic Partnership Roadmap, the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and the Global Gateway Strategy. There are over 50 EU-India sectorial dialogues

The EU and India resumed negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in 2022 following the visit of President von der Leyen to New Delhi. The next round is scheduled on March 10-14 this year in Brussels.

Earlier today in her address to a thinktank von der Leyen said that "A free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world. I am well aware it will not be easy. But I also know that timing and determination counts, and that this partnership comes at the right moment for both of us. This is why we have agreed with Prime Minister Modi to push to get it done during this year. And you can count on my full commitment to make sure we can deliver."

(ANI)

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