New Delhi, March 20
The past year has tested the global order, challenging long-standing assumptions about trade liberalisation and cooperation, and yet, in this moment of uncertainty, the India-EU trade agreement offers a path forward, a Member of the European Parliament has said.
For India, it means deeper access to one of the world's largest markets. For the EU, it reinforces ties with a dynamic and influential partner. For both, it is a chance to reaffirm our commitment to open, rules-based trade, Member of European Parliament Anna Sturgkh said in an article published in The Europe India Journal.
"To the European Union, free trade has always been more than mere strategy; it is a cornerstone of the Union's identity. When our biggest trading partner started to question this very principle, it was not just luck that we had major agreements, including this one, lined up," she stated.
"Behind it were many years of planning, negotiation and commitment to our core values. With our trading partners, the European Union has doubled, and in some cases even tripled, our volume of exports. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that for the India-EU free-trade agreement, the numbers tell a compelling story: the agreement is projected to generate 30 billion euros (Rs 3.2 trillion) in combined annual export gains," she said.
From Austrian machinery to Indian pharmaceuticals, businesses on both sides will find new opportunities, creating jobs and driving innovation. This does not just send a message to other partners; it is a policy that provides tangible benefits for citizens on both sides. Not merely the exchange of goods, but the exchange of values and ideas is what excites those of us who support this agreement. When Austrians or other Europeans export their products to India, they export craftsmanship and quality, the MEP observed.
The "mother of all deals", as dubbed by the President of the European Commission, goes beyond just trade and economic benefits - it is a partnership between the world's second and fourth largest democracies, a partnership that has the potential to pave the way for decades of friendship and collaboration, she added.
Besides the deal, the security and defence partnership signed alongside the trade deal signals increasing trust. In a world where democratic values are under pressure, our cooperation sends a powerful message: democracies can, and must, work together to shape the future, according to Sturgkh.
She further points out that trade agreements have the benefit of not only removing tariff barriers but also establishing rules for fair trade that benefit both parties as well as external stakeholders.
On top of agricultural safeguards, food safety standards, and reinforced rules of origin, both sides commit to climate action cooperation, with the EU providing India with financial support and guidance to decarbonise industry operations. United, we will form a zone of two billion people working towards common goals, Sturgkh added.
- IANS
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