The second India-European Union (EU) Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting was held in New Delhi on February 28, following the arrival of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in India. This high-level dialogue aimed to strengthen strategic cooperation between the two partners in areas of trade, technology, and security.
On the Indian side, the meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw. Representing the EU were Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy; Maros Sefcovic, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency; and Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation.
The India-EU TTC was established in April 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ursula von der Leyen as a key bilateral platform to address challenges at the intersection of trade, trusted technology, and security. Both India and the EU — vibrant democracies with open market economies and shared values — see themselves as natural partners in a multipolar world.
During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting global stability, economic security, and sustainable growth. They emphasized the importance of a rules-based international order and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
The TTC also highlighted the critical links between trade and technology and the potential of enhanced collaboration to strengthen the economies of both regions. The discussions focused on increasing resilience, improving connectivity, and advancing the development of green and clean technologies.
The first India-EU TTC meeting was held in Brussels on May 16, 2023, followed by a virtual stock-taking session on November 24, 2023, to review the progress of the council’s three working groups. The second ministerial meeting in New Delhi provided political direction for future cooperation and underscored the growing strategic convergence between India and the EU amid evolving global geopolitical dynamics.