New Delhi [India], December 19 : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held discussions with the delegation of the European Parliament on Tuesday and emphasised that India and Europe share a common worldview based on values of 'Democracy, Rule of Law and Diversity.'
The delegation was led by Morten Lokkegaard, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with India and Nathalie Loiseau, Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence.
Birla said that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is 'fast emerging as a robust economy with a strong resolve to rise as a developed nation by 2047.
While welcoming the European Parliament delegation to the Indian Parliament, Birla noted that India is the world's largest and most vibrant democracy. He stated that dialogue, debate and discussion are the bedrock of Indian parliamentary democracy.
Speaking about India's federal democratic structure, Om Birla said that three organs of the State under India's constitutional system work in harmony to ensure a transparent system of checks and balances.
During the meeting, members of the European Parliament appreciated India's leadership of the G20. Notably, G20 Summit under India's Presidency was held in Delhi on September 9-10.
They highlighted India's crucial role against terrorism and other global challenges that are faced by the world. Members of the European Parliament emphasised the importance of increasing parliamentary cooperation between the parliaments of two nations.
In a post shared on X, Om Birla posted, "Pleased to meet a delegation from the Security and Defence Committee of the European Parliament at Parliament House, today. Emphasized that India and Europe share a common worldview based on values of Democracy, Rule of Law and Diversity."
"The EU delegation commended Bharat's successful G20 leadership and sought Bharat's cooperation in facing challenges emerging from terrorism and other related threats. Strengthening parliamentary cooperation and exchange of ideas were also discussed," he added.
Earlier, on Monday, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also met with the EU delegation where the leaders discussed the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and economic ties.
Earlier, in October, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal discussed progress in India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations with European Commission's Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis.
"Discussed progress of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations with my friend @VDombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission," the Union Commerce Minister wrote on 'X'.
Notably, the negotiations for an FTA between the EU and India were relaunched last year, marking a significant step in trade relations. FTA aims to eliminate trade barriers between participating countries, facilitating smoother import and export processes and fostering stronger trade relations.
The talks began in 2007 but were frozen in 2013. The leaders noted that the decision to resume negotiations in 2021 reflects the shared commitment to deepen economic ties and promote free and hassle-free trade between the two major partners.
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