Ministers,
Commissioners,
Excellencies,
Friends,
Thank you very much for the warm welcome. It is a taste of India's legendary hospitality. Today is no ordinary day. Europe and India are coming together. And, as I read in the news, so are the planets. Indeed, today, seven planets in our solar system come into perfect alignment. That is a very outstanding event. They say that this event signals transformation and growth. It is exactly the moment we find ourselves in. The planets are aligned – and so are Europe and India.
I am here today with the whole College of Commissioners. Indeed, it is our first visit outside Europe since we took office in December. This shows how much we value our partnership. We want to take it to new heights. India is a like-minded friend. We are the two largest democracies in the world. And under your leadership, Prime Minister, it has been thriving. We are bound by shared convictions and values. From resilient supply chains to our shared interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific, we are working together. Today's exchanges will set the path for the future of our relationship. We have agreed to work on a new Strategic Agenda. I see three main avenues.
First, we will work together on economic growth. The potential is immense. Europe is already India's biggest trading partner. Last year alone, we exchanged EUR 120 billion worth of goods. And over the past two decades, our trade has tripled. All this is proof that our businesses and people want to work together. One of the best examples of this partnership is the new Federation of European Businesses in India. It brings together 6,000 EU companies, which have created 8 million direct and indirect jobs in this economy. We have tasked our teams to build on this momentum and finalise our Free Trade Agreement before the end of this year. We are expecting a lot of our trade negotiators, we told them they should surprise us. Now more than ever, the geopolitical context asks for decisive action. At the same time, we must take our Trade and Technology Council to the next level and connect research, innovation and market uptake. This allows us to tackle important economic challenges together. And to build robust and diverse supply chains such as for example semi-conductors, a very important topic we have been working intensively on. Because we know that economic security and growth go hand in hand. By sourcing the products we need from partners we trust, we avoid harmful dependencies. And of course we build stronger economies.
The second avenue we should explore is a common tech agenda. On clean tech, together we champion the International Solar Alliance. We agreed to launch a Joint Task Force on green hydrogen. But today I want to focus on digital technologies, where you excel. We are both powerhouses of innovation and entrepreneurship – the kind that only democracies can nurture. We share the belief that technology should serve the people, not the other way around. And here Artificial Intelligence is a prime example. It is advancing at a scale and speed never seen before. Dear Narendra, at the Paris AI Summit you said, AI is writing the code of humanity, you are so right. I am convinced that Europe and India working together can shape a future in which AI is a driver of a positive change in our economies and societies. In Paris we both have highlighted the advantages of a cooperative model for AI development where the innovators have access to quality data and computing resources. I am glad to note that AI is a major focus of the Trade and Technology Council. The European AI Office and India Al Mission also agree to deepen cooperation. And we will apply AI in the areas of natural hazards, climate change and bioinformatics. AI should be at the heart of our Strategic Agenda. The next AI Summit hosted by you, Prime Minister, will take us forward. You can count on the European Union that this Summit is going to be a big success.
Our cooperation on digital in not limited to AI. We are aiming at the interoperability of our two digital public infrastructures, which actually are the world's largest and most advanced. India's Aadhaar and the EU digital wallet aim to offer public and private services to nearly 2 billion citizens. Interoperability of our digital identities will strengthen ties between the EU and India even more. Our digital cooperation has also an ambitious industrial agenda. We are committed to strengthen cooperation in semiconductor R&D and manufacturing. We are cooperating in the future of secure telecommunication networks. In particular, our industrial associations have agreed to closely cooperate on 6G.
Of course, technology is only as good as the people who can use it. That is why digital skills are so important. This is a topic very close to my heart. People are essential for Europe's competitiveness. Yet, we face a gap. India can help to close it. Let us increase student and skilled worker exchanges. Let us share expertise, talent and experience.
The third avenue I see is deeper cooperation in security and defence. For Europe, India is a pillar of certainty in an increasingly uncertain world. We know that authoritarian states are getting bolder, ignoring borders and threatening peace at sea. Now is the time to step up our security and defence cooperation on land, at sea and in space. Cybersecurity has never been so crucial. Our Cyber dialogue offers a platform for effective cooperation and information exchanges. Because threats are evolving, becoming more sophisticated by the day. Maritime security is just as essential. The Indian Ocean is a lifeline for global trade. Ensuring its security is vital, not just for India but for the whole world. We should also explore expanding our joint naval exercises, building on our very successful operations in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea. Finally, we should deepen cooperation in protecting the cables that ensure data connectivity between India and the European Union. On defence, we see avenues for cooperation. India is looking into diversifying its military supply and access to new capabilities, so does Europe. So, both India and the European Union can be partners on this topic.
Prime Minister, dear Narendra,
Ministers,
Commissioners,
We are going back to Europe with fresh ideas for the future of our cooperation and for the Summit later this year. India and the EU are together greater than the sum of our parts. Together, we send a powerful and positive signal to the world. The planets are aligned – and so are Europe and India.
