By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, OCT 08, 2017: AT an event jointly organised by FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM & EBG here in New Delhi, the EU President, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, said that India & EU are charting a course for a shared future.

He noted that the EU is one of the largest investors into India and this will remain the same even after BREXIT. It will still have 449 million consumers remaining the second largest economy in the world. The two are natural partners as they have a partnership built on shared values of democracy and tolerance. This will help the two face the challenges of terrorism and climate change. European know-how can be used in the ‘Clean Ganga’ project and is already giving finance and business inputs to other water sanitation project and large infrastructure and metro projects. “Today’s summit will allow us to create a way forward to conclude the India-EU BTIA” he said.

Mr M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs positively noted that “India and the EU are both in the middle of a transformation. They are both rejuvenating themselves. 25% of our FDI comes from Europe. Together we could become the defining partnership for the 21st century. In this century, seas, skies and space including cyber space will control the economy. The three have no boundaries. India and the EU have shown how boundaries can become soft and shared space. Together we can find a way to a new horizon far faster than if we were travelling alone.”

Mr. Andrew McDowell, Vice President, European Investment Bank, brought attention to the amount investment that the bank is making in Asia in general and in India in particular. Among the major recent projects are the Bangalore and Lucknow metro projects. “We are extremely satisfied by the coordination of the Indian government and the cooperation of the Indian public sector,” he said.