India, EU discuss agenda for summit

Jan 16, 2012, 7:44 GMT

New Delhi - India and the European Union Monday held talks on trade and security issues Monday ahead of their summit next month, officials said.

EU chief diplomat Catherine Ashton and India's Foreign Minister SM Krishna chaired talks in the southern city of Bangalore to prepare for 12th India-EU summit on February 10 in New Delhi.

The summit is to cover issues including counter-terrorism, climate change and differences over a proposed free trade pact.

The two sides have been negotiating a trade pact for nearly five years, but have stalled over tariff barriers and the EU's attempts to include links to the environment and child labour.

The EU is India's largest trading partner with bilateral volume worth 86 billion dollars in 2010. That amount is expected to double by 2015 if the pact is finalized.

Ashton was also scheduled to meet with Defence Minister AK Antony and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.

'I hope the visit will strengthen our political and economic ties and create opportunities for synergies in addressing regional and global challenges, including for example in the field of security,' she said.

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