India & EU seal mobility pact; professionals, students, to gain

THE TWO SIDES ALSO LAUNCHED A STRATEGIC AGENDA...

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

India and the European Union on Tuesday sealed a comprehensive pact on mobility that will open up new opportunities for Indian students and professionals in Europe.

The agreement was concluded at the India-EU summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa. “This (pact) will open up new opportunities in the European Union for Indian students, workers, and professionals’ Modi said after the summit, “We have a longstanding and extensive cooperation in science and technology. Today, we have decided to further strengthen these important linkages,’ he said in his media statement.

France, Germany and Italy are among the European nations that have migration and mobility partnerships with India.

‘The two sides also launched a strategic agenda to provide for cooperation in a range of areas for the next five years.

“In a complex global environment, this agenda will provide clear direction, advance our shared prosperity, accelerate innovation, strengthen security cooperation, and deepen people-to-people ties,” the prime minister said. At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri elaborated on the importance of the mobility pact. “This is the first such mobility-related agreement that we are concluding at EU level. For the EU, this is the first with any partner,’ he said.