New Delhi: The second ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) on Friday assessed work being done by the two sides on digitalisation, green energy and trade and explored new opportunities in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and 6G telecommunications.
The TTC was established by India and the European Union (EU) in 2022 to oversee cooperation in digital and green technologies, trade and investment, and resilient supply chains. The EU has so far established such a body with only two countries – India and the US.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar, commerce minister Piyush Goyal and electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw represented India at Friday’s meeting, held on the margins of a visit to New Delhi by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and 20 members of the EU’s College of Commissioners. The EU was represented by technology commissioner Henna Virkkunen, trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and innovation commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.
Also Read: India, EU working on security and defence partnership: Von der Leyen
Jaishankar said on X that the meeting took stock of “significant progress made in digital partnership, clean & green energy initiatives and trade, investments & resilient supply chains”. The two sides also discussed new opportunities in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, 6G, electric vehicles (EVs), green hydrogen and a mutually beneficial trade regime.
“Confident that today’s discussions will translate into new economic, trade and tech linkages,” Jaishankar said.
Zaharieva said in a separate post on X that the meeting addressed “global challenges through innovation and collaboration”.
“We should do more to connect our startup communities. We’re committed to supporting technologies to tackle plastic waste and recycling EV batteries. We’ll also encourage greater involvement from young researchers through MSCA, where India is the top non-EU beneficiary,” she said, referring to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the EU’s programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training.
Also Read: India, EU should reimagine partnership, finalise FTA this year: Von der Leyen
Jaishankar also participated in the India-EU bilateral cluster meeting along with minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai, and EU commissioners Jozef Sikela, Dubravka Šuica, Marta Kos, Magnus Brunner. “Our conversation focused on connectivity and IMEC, green and clean energy, mobility and talent, security, Mediterranean and EU expansion,” he said.
Goyal also held a separate meeting with his EU counterpart Maroš Šefčovič, ahead of the next round of negotiations between India and the EU on a free trade agreement in Brussels next month. Goyal said on X that he and Šefčovič had a “candid and insightful discussion” on the FTA and the progress of the TTC. “Exciting times ahead as we work towards elevating our trade & investment ties to the next level as trusted partners,” he said.