Recommendation on EU-India relations

 The committee adopted the own-initiative report by Emilio MENÉNDEZ del VALLE (PES, ES) on EU-India relations. Given India's geo-strategic importance, its status as the world's largest multicultural democracy and its emergence as the largest power in South Asia, MEPs wanted the Council to take the decision, at the 5th EU-India Summit, to upgrade the EU-India relationship to a Strategic Partnership. They urged the Council to focus in particular on:

- developing a strategic alliance with India for the promotion of an effective multilateral approach, supporting peace, security, human rights and democracy;

- strengthening cooperation - bilaterally and in UN fora - on conflict prevention and post-conflict political and economic reconstruction and rehabilitation;

- addressing global concerns such as non-proliferation and disarmament, terrorism and organised crime, and supporting India's application for "privileged country status" with Europol;

- cooperating in the field of security policy, this being all the more urgent since the US has decided to start exporting nuclear and other advanced technology to India again;

- the India-Pakistan dialogue, including the Kashmir issue, and the need to develop mutual trust and confidence between the two countries;

- examining ways in which the EU, with its significant experience of regional integration, could promote regional cooperation in South East Asia through the SAARC;

- working with India to promote cooperation on global environmental challenges;

- supporting the continuing dialogue on organisational and institutional reform of the UN;

- establishing an EU-India Centre for Indian Studies to strengthen cultural relations;

- supporting the European Parliament's efforts to enhance contacts and discussions with the Indian Parliament, including institutionalisation of regular meetings between the Lok Sabha and EP delegations.