New Delhi (India), February 28 : European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday referenced the ongoing unique celestial event to underline the strategic relationship between India and the European Union.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital today, von der Leyen said, "It is the taste of India's legendary hospitality and today is no ordinary day, Europe and India are coming together and as I read in the news, so are the planets. Seven planets in the Solar system come into perfect alignment."
"This is a very outstanding event, and they say that this event signals growth and transformation, and that's exactly the moment we find ourselves in. The planets are aligned, and so are India and Europe," she said.
Terming India as "a like-minded friend," the European Commission President said "We are the two largest democracies in the world. And under your leadership, Prime Minister, it has been thriving. We are bound by shared convictions and values."
von der Leyen who is on a two-day visit to India said that the EU and India ar bound by shared convictions and values raning from resilient supply chains to a shared interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific and have agreed to work on a new Strategic Agenda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and von der Leyen earlier said that EU and India have agreed to push for the long-pending Free Trade Agreement, which they pledged to finalise by the end of this year.
PM Modi said a blueprint has been prepared for collaboration in the areas of Trade, Technology, Investment, Innovation, Green Growth, Security, Skilling and Mobility. "We have directed our teams to conclude a mutually beneficial Bilateral Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year," he said duing the joint press conference with the President of the EU Commission.

von der Leyen said, "I am here today with the whole College of Commissioners. Indeed, it is our first visit outside Europe since we took office in December. This shows how much we value our partnership. We want to take it to new heights. India is a like-minded friend. We are the two largest democracies in the world. And under your leadership, Prime Minister, it has been thriving. We are bound by shared convictions and values. From resilient supply chains to our shared interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific, we are working together. Today's exchanges will set the path for the future of our relationship. We have agreed to work on a new Strategic Agenda. I see three main avenues."
"First, we will work together on economic growth. The potential is immense. Europe is already India's biggest trading partner. Last year alone, we exchanged EUR 120 billion worth of goods. And over the past two decades, our trade has tripled. All this is proof that our businesses and people want to work together. One of the best examples of this partnership is the new Federation of European Businesses in India. It brings together 6,000 EU companies, which have created 8 million direct and indirect jobs in this economy. We have tasked our teams to build on this momentum and finalise our Free Trade Agreement before the end of this year.
"We are expecting a lot of our trade negotiators, we told them they should surprise us. Now more than ever, the geopolitical context asks for decisive action. At the same time, we must take our Trade and Technology Council to the next level and connect research, innovation and market uptake. This allows us to tackle important economic challenges together. And to build robust and diverse supply chains such as, for example, semi-conductors, a very important topic we have been working intensively on. Because we know that economic security and growth go hand in hand. By sourcing the products we need from partners we trust, we avoid harmful dependencies. And of course, we build stronger economies," she said.

She said "sourcing the products we need from partners we trust, we avoid harmful dependencies. And of course we build stronger economies."
"Now more than ever, the geopolitical context asks for decisive action. At the same time, we must take our Trade and Technology Council to the next level," she said.
The European Commission President noted that on clean tech, India and the EU together champion the International Solar Alliance and the two had agreed to launch a Joint Task Force on green hydrogen. "Today I want to focus on digital technologies, where you excel," she said addressing the joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi.
"Artificial Intelligence... is advancing at a scale and speed never seen before. Dear Narendra, at the Paris AI Summit you said, AI is writing the code of humanity, you are so right. I am convinced that Europe and India working together can shape a future in which AI is a driver of a positive change in our economies and societies. In Paris we both have highlighted the advantages of a cooperative model for AI development where the innovators have access to quality data and computing resources," she said.
The European Commission President also said that she sees a "deeper cooperation in security and defence."For Europe, India is a pillar of certainty in an increasingly uncertain world. We know that authoritarian states are getting bolder, ignoring borders and threatening peace at sea. Now is the time to step up our security and defence cooperation on land, at sea and in space," she said.
Talking about collaboration in maritime security, von der Leyen said, "The Indian Ocean is a lifeline for global trade. Ensuring its security is vital, not just for India but for the whole world. We should also explore expanding our joint naval exercises, building on our very successful operations in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea."
She also emphasised on the need deepen cooperation in protecting the cables that ensure data connectivity between India and the European Union.
Prime Minister Modi said that "to strengthen the investment framework, there has also been talk of moving forward on Investment Protection and GI Agreement. In the field of Technology and Innovation, a trusted and secure value chain is our common priority.
He said, "We have also agreed on increasing cooperation in semiconductors, AI, high performance computing and 6G. We have also decided to initiate a Space Dialogue."
Further PM Modi said, " Your visit to India has given new momentum, energy and enthusiasm to our partnership. This journey is the biggest catalyst that will translate our ambition into action." He added, "I eagerly look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you back to India for the next India-EU Summit."