By IRNA,
New Delhi : The 19th India-EU Troika Ministerial Meeting began Friday in New Delhi to enhance their ties and strengthen the strategic partnership.
During the India-EU ‘Troika meeting’, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will hold parleys with his counterpart from Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel, who represents the outgoing presidency of the European Council, and French Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Rama Yade of the incoming Presidency of the grouping.
The annual Summits and Troika ministerial meetings are the highlights of the institutional structure that has facilitated regular high level contacts between the two sides.
“The meetings provide an opportunity for general exchange of views on bilateral, regional and global issues,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The meeting will discuss ways in which the four-year-old strategic partnership could be strengthened and the relationship, particularly in business, enhanced.
India-EU relations have diversified from a purely trade and economic driven relationship to one covering a wider cross-section of interaction.
The EU is an important trade, technology and investment partner for India with bilateral trade crossing 55.6 billion Euros in 2007 accounting for one-fifth of New Delhi’s total external trade.
The previous Troika meeting took place in Berlin on 31st May last year.