EU political relations with India (short presentation)
Neena Gill (S&D). – Mr President, I too want to congratulate Cristian Dan Preda on this report, which I believe is really key in terms of building our relationship with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a global power. I believe we share a vision for the future based on shared values, including sustainable development. We face many of the challenges which Cristian has already outlined – climate change, terrorism, protecting the rule of law, managing migration and respect for human rights. But tackling inequality and ensuring our citizens are ready for the technological area is key. These are really issues where we need to join forces and work together.
I do regret that relations have been on the back burner for a while in the past, but I believe strongly that this report is a vital step in building a long-term cooperation and partnership and reviving negotiations on the trade and investment deal. I understand there will be a summit in the near future, and it is important that this leads to real concrete actions based on ambitions this Parliament has outlined in your report today. Last but not least, let me underscore that one of the main dimensions of our strategic partnership should be people. That is why we asked to promote exchanges on education, expand Erasmus+ to allow opportunities for students, but also to increase contacts, dialogue and mobility in areas like IT, research and culture. Once again, it was a pleasure, Cristian, to work with you on this. Well done and good collaboration.