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 The
Sixth India-EU Summit was held in
New Delhi
on
7th September 2005. Senior representatives of the EU delegation
led by Prime Minister Blair, in his capacity as President of the
Council of the European Union and the President of the European
Commission Barroso met with
Indian Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and members of
the Indian government.
One of
the most important outcomes of this
Summit
was the
adoption by
India
and the EU of a Joint Action Plan
which provides
the framework for future co-operation. Speaking at a press conference,
Mr Blair said the plan, which covers trade, security, climate change,
research and development and other issues, sets relations between the
EU and India at "a new, higher and more intensive level". And he
hoped it would be translated into action and be more than just
"rhetoric".
Tony Blair came
to India eager to promote business between India and Europe arguing
the West should embrace India's emergence as an economic power rather
than fear it as a job-stealing threat. His words came as Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh announced that Indian Airlines had agreed to
buy 43 jets from European airplane maker Airbus for US$2.2 billion.
A major part of the
Action Plan is devoted to promote
business ties and expand cooperation
over several areas, including the social sector, science
and technology, space, energy, clean development and climate change,
information and communication technology and transport. The Action
Plan provides for dialogue on migration and consular issues as also
educational cooperation through the facilitation of academic
exchanges, and civil society dialogue.
The EU pledged
to help extend excess to elementary education in India. India
also agreed to
participate in
Europe's planned Galileo satellite navigation system.
Environmental
issues were also on the agenda. India and the EU agreed to work
together to promote clean energy source and the EU pledged to press
for India's participation in an international nuclear fusion research
program.
Blair pointed
out that progress could not be made on the major issues facing the
world, such as climate change, trade and terrorism, without the
"active participation and engagement of India". He said he would seek
to engage China, India and other developing nations in talks on
climate change. As fast-growing economies, they will need increasing
amounts of energy and therefore emit more of the pollution blamed for
rising temperatures.
The two sides also
issued a Political Declaration on the India-EU Strategic Partnership.
The Political Declaration sums up the salient features of what they
wish to achieve together as Strategic Partners.
Both sides
agreed to boost anti-terrorism cooperation and crack down on terrorist
financing and money laundering. They also said they would work
together to strengthen the United Nations' role in peacekeeping and
maintaining international stability.
 The 6th India-EU
Business Summit was also launched to give greater thrust and focus to
the economic, trade and investment as well as to the
cultural aspects of the EU-India partnership.
The cultural dimension of
the vibrant and multifaceted relations between India and the European
Union came to centre-stage with the organisation of the European Union
Cultural Weeks from 1 September 2005 by the EU Member State missions
in India in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR).
Before the
summit's start, Blair and his wife Cherie placed a wreath and threw
red rose petals at a black marble memorial to Mohandas Gandhi near the
site of the Indian independence leader's cremation in 1948. European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU External Relations
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner also placed a wreath.
 ''The
principles in which he lived his life will endure forever; namely that
the ultimate salvation for humanity comes when people of all colors,
race, nations and religions learn to live in peace and harmony with
each other,'' Blair wrote in a visitors' book.
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