PM Modi Speaks To Giorgia Meloni, Discusses EU-India FTA, Ukraine Conflict: 'We Reaffirmed Our Joint Commitment...'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, had a conversation with Italian PM Girogia Meloni on the sidelines of the proposed EU- India FTA. PM Modi said he and PM Meloni“reaffirmed the joint commitment" between the two nations "to deepen India-Italy Strategic Partnership.”

“Had an excellent conversation with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. We reaffirmed our joint commitment to deepen India-Italy Strategic Partnership, and shared interest in bringing an early end to the conflict in Ukraine. Thanked PM Meloni for Italy's proactive support for concluding a mutually beneficial India-EU trade agreement and promoting connectivity through the IMEEEC initiative,” PM Modi posted on X.

During the call, PM Modi also discussed with Meloni ways to end the conflict in Ukraine as well as the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), reported PTI.

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PM Modi's call with PM Girogia Meloni comes ahead of European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic's arrival in New Delhi for the proposed EU-India FTA.

EU-India FTA

The 13th round of talks for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) started on Monday, September 9.

European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic European and Commission agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen are scheduled to visit India on September 12 to take stock of the progress of the negotiations with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, reported PTI.

The two Commissioners, who are equivalent to Cabinet Ministers, will be leading a 30-member negotiating team from Brussels and will meet their counterparts in Delhi, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Also Read | PM Modi, EU leaders push for early FTA, discuss Ukraine conflict

On February 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to seal a much-awaited free trade deal by the end of this year.

India and the EU relaunched the negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA) in June 2022 after a gap of over eight years.

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