India and European Union
are strategic partners: PM
India and the European Union
(EU) are strategic partners in a
fast changing and complex
world. The success of Europe’s
political and economic integration is
vital for global stability and prosperity,
said Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan
Singh at the joint media interaction at
the 12th India-EU Summit in New
Delhi on February 10.
Text of the Prime Minister’s statement:
“I am delighted to welcome Herman
Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso
to the first India-European Union
Summit in India after the entry into
force of the Lisbon Treaty.
We have just concluded extremely
productive and wide-ranging discussions
in a very cordial and friendly
atmosphere.
India and the European Union are
strategic partners in a fast changing and
complex world. The success of
Europe’s political and economic integration
is vital for global stability and
prosperity. The European Union leaders
informed me of the steps being taken
by Europe to deal with the debt crisis
in the Eurozone. I conveyed to them
our best wishes for an early and sustained
recovery. Given our rapidly
growing links with Europe, this is in
India’s interest. Europe’s recovery is
also essential for ensuring the recovery
of the global economy and bringing
back market confidence.
Our trade with Europe has reached
$107 billion in 2011. Both sides have
made considerable progress in the
negotiations on the Broad-Based Trade
and Investment Agreement. There are
complex issues involved, but we have
both agreed to expedite discussions
Continued on page 4
India-ASEAN ties
set to deepen
The Delhi Dialogue-IV on the
theme “India and ASEAN:
Partners for Peace, Progress
and Stability” was held on February
13-14, 2012 in New Delhi, India.
The event was hosted by the
Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration
with the Indian Council for
World Affairs and the Federation of
Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry and supported by the
Institute of South East Asian Studies,
Singapore, SAEA Group Research,
Singapore and the Economic Research
Institute of ASEAN and East Asia,
Jakarta. In its fourth year, Delhi
Dialogue is today a premier Track 1.5
forum, facilitating greater interaction
between India and ASEAN.
The inaugural session was presided
over by External Affairs Minister
S. M. Krishna and a host of ASEAN
leaders. The summit discussed issues
related to economic integration, nontraditional
security challenges, the
evolving security architecture in the
Asia-Pacific, and building networks of
knowledge and science. The Dialogue
drew wide participation from India
and ASEAN countries.
‘India, Mauritius relations rooted in strong links’
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan
Singh and Prime Minister of
Mauritius Dr. Ramgoolam held
bilateral talks on wide-ranging topics
aimed at further deepening the India-
Mauritius partnership during the latter’s
six-day state visit to India beginning
February 7. Calling the discussions
between the two leaders “fruitful”,
Prime Minister Dr. Singh said that the
relations between the two countries
were “rooted in strong historical and
cultural links”.
Text of the statement by Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh at the joint media
interaction with Dr. Navinchandra
Ramgoolam:
“It is an honour for me to welcome
Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra
Ramgoolam on a state visit to India. He
is a special friend of India and a distinguished
member of the Indian diaspora.
Prime Minister Dr. Ramgoolam and
I have completed very fruitful and wideranging
discussions aimed at further
expanding and strengthening the India-
Mauritius partnership.
Relations between India and
Mauritius are rooted in strong historical
and cultural links. However, over the
years, our relations have transformed
into a modern, dynamic, comprehensive
and mutually beneficial partnership
that encompasses active cooperation in
a wide spectrum of spheres.
We have agreed that the next meeting
of the India-Mauritius Joint
Commission on Economic, Scientific,
Technical and Cultural Cooperation will
be held later this year to identify new
measures to promote cooperation in key
areas. India has been a long-standing
development partner of Mauritius. I was
happy to inform the Prime Minister that
the Government of India will provide a
new economic package to Mauritius
consisting of a Line of Credit of $250
million and a grant of $20 million.
establish a hybrid planetarium at the
Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre in
Mauritius. We reviewed the status of
implementation of the India-Mauritius
Double Taxation Avoidance
Convention. Both India and Mauritius
want to ensure that there is no misuse
of the convention. We are happy that the
Joint Working Group on this convention
has resumed its work and held a
meeting in Port Louis in December
2011. We have directed our officials to
continue their work towards finding a
mutually acceptable and satisfactory
solution to the issues that concern us, at
the earliest.
The Memoranda of Understanding
(MoU) signed today in the areas of science
& technology and education will
enable institutionalised cooperation in
human resource development. I have
invited Mauritius to make the best use
of the opportunities available under the
initiatives launched by us as part of the
India-Africa Forum Summit process.
Diaspora links have provided the
foundation for our bilateral relations.
The MoU on cooperation in the field
of sports and youth affairs will help in
strengthening these contacts,
particularly amongst the youth.
Continued on page 3
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