India Hopes To Conclude FTA Negotiations With EU Soon: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Danish counterpart Frederiksen on Tuesday, during which he expressed hope that the negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will be concluded at the earliest.

On 8 May 2021, the EU and Indian leaders’ agreed to resume negotiations for a “balanced, ambitious, comprehensive and mutually beneficial” trade agreement, and to launch separate negotiations on an investment protection agreement and another agreement on geographical indications.
They had agreed to link trade negotiations to finding “solutions to long-standing market access issues”.

PM Modi and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen held delegation-level talks in Copenhagen today to review progress in the Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

They also discussed India-EU relations, Indo-Pacific, and the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

“Today we also discussed many regional and global issues including India-EU relations, Indo-Pacific and Ukraine. We hope that the negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will be concluded at the earliest,” PM Modi said while speaking at the joint press meet with PM Frederiksen.

The Prime Minister said that India and Denmark share values of democracy, freedom of expression, and the rule of law. “Together we both have several complementary strengths.”

“During the India-Denmark virtual summit in October 2020, we had termed our relations a Green Strategic Partnership. During our discussions today, we also reviewed the joint work plan of our Green Strategic Partnership,” he said.

PM Modi on Tuesday reached the Danish capital for a one-day visit that will include several engagements including talks with leaders from Nordic countries.

This visit started in Denmark shortly after PM Modi’s Berlin visit.

During his one-day Germany visit, PM Modi met with German chancellor Olaf Scholz. This was their first engagement since Chancellor Scholz assumed office in December 2021. (ANI)