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The upcoming 13th India-EU Summit slated to take place in Brussels on March 30 will result in further progress in the bilateral ties of both sides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said before leaving for a three-nation tour to Belgium, US and Saudi Arabia.
“The European Union is a vital trading partner and the biggest export destination for India. This Summit will advance our multifaceted engagement across a whole range of domains,” Prime Minister Modi said before his departure Tuesday mid-night.
Besides, having a bilateral meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk, Modi will also be separately meeting his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel.
Modi also hinted at the fact that talks on combating global terrorism will feature prominently during his interactions with the EU leadership.
“No words are enough to salute the resilience and spirit of the people of Belgium. We stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the wake of the horrific attacks in Brussels and share the grief of those who lost their loved ones,”
This comes a day after an Infosys employee Raghavendran Ganeshan, 30, was declared dead by Belgian authorities. He was killed in the terrorist attack that was carried out in a train at Maalbeek Metro Station in Brussels on March 22.
India and Belgium will be jointly remote activating the India-Belgium ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences) Telescope to showcase their cooperation in high-tech sectors.
In Brussels, Prime Minister Modi will also be addressing Members of European Parliament (MEPs) apart from interacting with the business community there.
“In Brussels, I would also be meeting with the Members of European Parliament (MEPs), Indologists, Belgian CEOs as well as a wide cross section of the Indian diaspora in Belgium. I would also interact with the Board Members of the Association of Diamond Traders in Belgium,” Modi said.
On the following day March 31, Modi will be attending the 4th Nuclear Summit in Washington DC.
“The Summit would deliberate on the crucial issue of threat to nuclear security caused by nuclear terrorism. Leaders would discuss ways and measure through which to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture, especially to ensure that non-state actors do not get access to nuclear material,” he said.
Thereon, he will be headed for a two-day trip to Riyadh where he will be meeting King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
“India’s ties with Saudi Arabia are special. We want the prominent Saudi businesses to partner with India’s development priorities. That would be one of the key objectives of the business event planned in Riyadh,” Modi said.
In Riyadh, Modi will also be visiting the famous Masmak Fortress, L&T Workers’ Residential Complex and TCS All Women IT & ITES Centre.
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