New Delhi [India], January 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for reforms in international institutions to effectively address contemporary challenges, citing growing turmoil in the global order.
Addressing a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa following the 16th India-EU Summit, PM Modi said the evolving global situation underscored the importance of strong partnerships and a reformed multilateral system.
"Today, there are major turmoils in the global order. In such a situation, the partnership between India and the European Union will strengthen stability in the international system," the Prime Minister said.
He said the leaders held detailed discussions on several global and regional issues, including Ukraine, West Asia, and the Indo-Pacific, and reiterated their shared commitment to multilateralism and international norms.
"In that context, today we held detailed discussions on several global issues, including Ukraine, West Asia, and the Indo-Pacific. Respect for multilateralism and international norms is our shared priority. We also agree that to address today's challenges, global institutions need reform," the PM said.
Welcoming the EU leaders on what he described as an unprecedented visit, PM Modi said, "It is a pleasure to welcome my two close friends, President Costa and President von der Leyen, to India."
He referred to Costa as the "Gandhi of Lisbon" for his simple lifestyle and praised von der Leyen as Germany's first woman Defence Minister and the first woman President of the European Commission.
Speaking at the press conference, European Council President Costa said that as the world's largest democracies and champions of multilateralism, India and the EU share the responsibility of upholding international law with the United Nations Charter at its core.
"As the world's largest democracies and champions of multilateralism, the European Union and India share the responsibility to uphold international law with the United Nations Charter at its core," Costa stated.
He also recalled paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi earlier in the day alongside Von der Leyen.
"I reflected upon his words, which still hold true today: peace will not come out of a clash of arms, but out of justice lived and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds," Costa said.
On Tuesday, India inked its biggest-ever Free Trade Agreement with the 27-nation European Union, marking a major milestone in bilateral ties.
PM Modi hailed the conclusion of the India-European Union FTA, describing it as "not just a trade agreement, but a blueprint for shared prosperity."
The Prime Minister noted that India-EU relations have grown exponentially in recent years, rooted in shared democratic values, economic synergy, and strong people-to-people ties, and acknowledged that India-EU trade stands at EUR 180 billion.
India also signed a Security and Defence Partnership with the EU, making it the third Asian country to have such a deal after Japan and South Korea.