Why in news?

India and the European Union have agreed to deepen their partnership by adopting the “Towards 2030: India–EU Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda.”

The agenda was adopted during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting European leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India–EU Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda (Towards 2030): Key Takeaways

India–EU Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda (Towards 2030): Key Takeaways

• This Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda was endorsed at the 16th India-EU Summit.
• It aims to further reinforce the strategic partnership by broadening, deepening and better coordinating EU-India cooperation to deliver mutually beneficial, concrete and transformative outcomes for both partners and for the wider world.
• This agenda is being described as a more ambitious and holistic roadmap for the next five years, aimed at providing clear direction in a complex global environment.
• Five Key Pillars of Cooperation
  • The Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda seeks to accelerate progress across five pillars:
    • Prosperity and sustainability
    • Technology and innovation
    • Security and defence
    • Connectivity and global challenges
    • Enablers, including skills, mobility, business cooperation, and people-to-people ties
• Trade, Investment, and Economic Cooperation
• Reaffirmation of trade and economic ties as the foundation of the partnership.
• Timely implementation of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• Conclusion of Investment Protection Agreement and Geographical Indications (GI) Agreement.
• Enhanced financial services regulatory cooperation, customs cooperation, and macroeconomic dialogue.
• Scaling up Global Gateway investments with EIB participation.
• Supply Chains and Economic Security
  • Cooperation on strategic value chains and economic security under the Trade and Technology Council (TTC).
  • Implementation of EU–India Semiconductor MoU; collaboration on R&D, chip design, and manufacturing.
  • Cooperation on critical minerals, APIs, agrifood supply chains, and biotechnology.
• Clean Transition and Resilience
  • Strengthening Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
  • Cooperation on renewables (wind, hydrogen), sustainable mobility, railways, ship recycling, smart cities.
  • Collaboration on carbon markets (CCTS–ETS), industrial decarbonisation, circular economy, water security.
  • Enhanced cooperation on health systems, disaster risk management, and climate adaptation.
• Critical and Emerging Technologies
  • Joint research in AI, quantum, semiconductors, clean tech, biotech.
  • Establishment of India–EU Innovation Hubs and Startup Partnership.
  • Cooperation on trustworthy, human-centric AI, HPC, space technologies, and critical technology protection.
• Digital Cooperation
  • Building a secure, interoperable digital ecosystem.
  • Cooperation on data protection, digital public infrastructure (DPI), telecom (6G), e-commerce.
  • Exploring interoperability of digital wallets and electronic signatures.
• Research Collaboration
  • Deepening engagement under Horizon Europe; exploring India’s association.
  • Cooperation in peaceful nuclear research, semiconductors, advanced materials, and ITER.
• Security and Defence Partnership
  • Implementation of India–EU Security and Defence Partnership (SDP).
  • Annual Security and Defence Dialogue; agreement on Security of Information.
• Defence Industrial Cooperation
  • Industry-led India–EU Defence Industry Forum.
  • Exploring cooperation under relevant EU defence initiatives.
• Regional and Global Security
  • Cooperation for a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
  • Engagement through IPOI, IORA, IOC, and consultations on the Indo-Pacific.
  • Dialogue on global issues, including Ukraine.
• Countering Threats
  • Cooperation against terrorism, hybrid threats, cyber risks, drug trafficking.
  • Strengthened law enforcement cooperation (CBI–Europol, SIENA).
• Connectivity
  • Implementation of EU–India Connectivity Partnership (Global Gateway, MAHASAGAR).
  • Deepening collaboration under IMEC, digital corridors, green shipping, aviation dialogue.
• Cooperation in Third Countries
  • Trilateral projects in energy, climate resilience, green mobility, digitalisation.
  • Cooperation through International Solar Alliance and CDRI.
• Global Governance
  • Coordination in UN, G20, and reform of multilateral institutions (UN, WTO).
  • Cooperation on Paris Agreement, biodiversity, plastic pollution, maritime decarbonisation.
  • Engagement on AI governance, human rights, global health architecture.
• Skills, Mobility, and People-to-People Ties
  • Skills and talent mobility, European Legal Gateway Office in India.
  • Easier visas, student and researcher mobility (Erasmus+, MSCA, SPARC).
  • Recognition of qualifications and gender balance.
• Mutual Understanding
  • Academic, think-tank, cultural, and diplomatic exchanges.
  • Dedicated Jean Monnet network for India.
• Business and Institutional Mechanisms
  • EU–India Business Forum; stronger role for business in TTC.
  • Annual summits, strengthened dialogues, and monitoring via TTC and Strategic Dialogue.