London, Oct 20 (IANS) The Council of the European Union on Monday approved conclusions on a new strategic EU-India agenda which include efforts to conclude a balanced, ambitious, mutually beneficial and economically meaningful free trade agreement, which the European Commission and the Indian government aim to finalise by the end of the year.

“Such agreement must include enhanced market access, removal of trade barriers, and provisions on sustainable development,” the Council said in a statement on its website.

The Council also emphasised the joint capacity and responsibility of the EU and India to safeguard multilateralism and the rules-based international order with the UN Charter at its core, as well as the multilateral trading system, in particular the WTO.

The promotion and protection of democratic values and norms, international law and human rights, including the rights of women and children, is an intrinsic part of the EU-India strategic agenda.

The Council invites the High Representative and the Commission to take forward the articulation and implementation of the new strategic EU-India agenda based on the priorities set out in the Joint Communication, in which it welcomes the strong impetus in relations between the European Union and India, the statement said.

The conclusions endorse the Joint Communication on a “New Strategic EU-India Agenda” by the High Representative and the European Commission, and its objective of deepening EU-India ties, including prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence, and connectivity and global issues.

The Council further stated that against the backdrop of an increasingly complex geopolitical outlook, it welcomes closer collaboration between the EU and India on security and defence matters based on the principles of mutual trust and respect.

The Council also said that it takes note of the intention to pursue work towards the establishment of a Security and Defence Partnership, which could also facilitate defence industrial cooperation when appropriate, the statement said.

The Council will continue to engage with India on all aspects of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the statement added.

–IANS

sps/dan