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Punjab, India welcomes Parliamentary delegation
External relations - 03-05-2006 - 18:56
EP delegation in India meet Anand Sharma: Minister for External Affairs
India: a uniquely diverse country of 1.02 billion people, 22 recognised languages, 844 dialects, seven religions, 28 states and the world's largest democracy. With economic growth of 8% in the last quarter, the importance of India to the global economy is set to increase in coming years. India currently has a "strategic partnership" with the EU - her largest trading partner - and as part of this process a cross-party group of 9 MEPs were there in mid-April.
Prior to leaving for Delhi, Neena Gill, born in India but now a British Labour MEP and leader of the delegation, said that "EU-India relations were on the right track, but ...India is talking to a lot of new partners, strategic partners, so it is important for us to be there". The visit is part of an "Action Plan" agreed at last September's EU-India summit to strengthen political dialogue, cultural awareness and economic cooperation.
The Punjab (pop. 24 million) is "the Granary of India". Here, as in the EU, agricultural diversification and reform to boost incomes and guarantee sustainability is high on the agenda. In talks with MEPs, the Governor of the Punjab, Gen. SF Rodrigues, was keen to boost trade ties with Europe and share technology which would increase crop production.
Members also saw EU-funded projects. French Liberal Democrat MEP, Jean-Marie Beaupuy, commented: "we saw the results obtained by groups of women in the villages, who were able to irrigate and create new plantations thanks to EU funds". On India's attempts to diversify agriculture Ulster Unionist MEP James Nicholson (EPP group), noted that "the people face tremendous problems" and the visit showed "the importance of seeing for yourself the problems people face."
In Delhi they met with NGOs who specialise in gender issues. A key issue is female foeticide because a male child is deemed economically more "useful". This practice is aided by the disproportionately large numbers of discounted ultrasound machines imported into India from Europe and China - thus allowing the sex of the foetus to be identified in advance. The moral ethics of the companies who offer them at reduced cost were called into question.
In the Punjab capital Chandigarh the MEPs met a group of school girls who quizzed them on subjects that perhaps they wished they had left behind in Europe - the future of the EU Constitution and the budgetary debate. Interest in studying in Europe was also high - in particular the EU's "Erasmus Mundi" education programme.
To maintain and build the process of dialogue - the delegation extended an invitation to Indian MPs to visit the European Parliament in the future. Later this year a Report on EU-India Trade relations will be considered by the Parliament.
REF.: 20060503STO07818