London, Oct 20 (PTI) The European Council on Monday approved conclusions on a ‘New Strategic EU-India Agenda’ announced earlier by the European Commission, welcoming the “strong impetus” it provides to relations between the European Union and India.

The Belgium-based council, responsible for the general political direction and priorities of the 27-member economic bloc, highlighted efforts on both sides to conclude an India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) by the end of the year.

Its conclusions this week endorse the Joint Communication on the new agenda and its objective of deepening EU-India ties, including prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence, and connectivity and global issues.

“The council welcomes in particular efforts to conclude a balanced, ambitious, mutually beneficial and economically meaningful free trade agreement, which the European Commission and the Indian government aim to finalise by the end of the year,” the council said in a statement.

“Such agreement must include enhanced market access, removal of trade barriers, and provisions on sustainable development,” it said.

The European Council noted that closer collaboration between the EU and India on security and defence matters based on the principles of mutual trust and respect were of particular importance against the backdrop of an increasingly complex geopolitical outlook.

“The council takes 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 states.

It said the EU will continue to engage with India on all aspects of “Russia’s war of aggression against the Ukraine”. It also emphasised the joint capacity and 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 World Trade Organisation (WTO).

“The promotion and protection of democratic values and norms, international law and human rights, including the rights of women and children, is an intrinsic part of the EU-India strategic agenda,” it added.

The council called on the European Commission to take forward the articulation and implementation of this ‘New Strategic EU-India Agenda’ on the basis of the priorities set out in the Joint Communication last month.

It followed the visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February this year, which laid the foundation for a “new chapter in EU-India relations”.

During this landmark visit – the first of its kind to the Indo-Pacific – both sides committed to raising the Strategic Partnership to a higher level to boost shared prosperity, strengthen security, and tackle major global challenges together, the Joint Communication read. PTI AK GSP GSP

Free Trade Agreement talks aim to deliver a balanced EU India deal enhancing market access and sustainable trade rules. The European Council endorses a New Strategic EU India Agenda prioritising conclusion of a balanced, ambitious free trade agreement emphasising enhanced market access, removal of trade barriers, and sustainable development provisions, and directs the European Commission to implement the agenda. It further advances closer security and defence collaboration including a prospective security and defence partnership and possible defence industrial cooperation, and commits to joint engagement on Russia's war in Ukraine, protection of multilateralism and the rules based international order, and promotion of democratic values and human rights.