Activists want G20 to end vaccine inequality

NEW DELHI / NEW YORK (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, October 29, held wide-ranging talks with top leaders of the European Union (EU), marking a high point in India’s efforts to cultivate the 27-member nation bloc to forge closer ties in security, trade, connectivity and education.

PM Modi, who arrived in Rome earlier in the day to participate in the G20 Summit beginning from Saturday, had a “productive interaction” with president of the European Council Charles Michel and president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

India has more issues of convergence with the EU ever since China began flexing its muscles in South China Sea. Also, during the Covid period, both EU and India were impacted by overdependence on supply chains originating from China. On Afghanistan too, India and the EU are on the same page on vital issues such as inclusiveness in governance and not allowing the country to breed terror groups targeting other countries.

PM Modi during his talks touched on trade, commerce, culture and the environment. “The leaders discussed ways to enhance economic as well as people-to-people linkages aimed at creating a better planet,” tweeted the PMO. The Prime Minister described his meeting with the EU leaders as “wonderful” during which they had wide-ranging talks on deepening the India-EU friendship.

Michel said India had a key role to play in green transition and mentioned the EU-India strategic partnership, the situation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific as the prominent topics of discussion.

Security-related convergence with the EU is set to grow after it unveiled an Indo-Pacific strategy which followed similar positions taken by France and Germany.

An impetus to the free trade agreement was also discussed, according to Leyen. “We agreed that our trade negotiators will start to work. We’ll deepen our cooperation on climate, including on innovation and technology. Looking forward to cooperating in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.

She also congratulated India for its “excellent progress” on vaccination and for resuming vaccines exports. “We need to join forces to help vaccinate the world and beat the global pandemic,” Leyen said. The 15th India-EU summit was held in virtual mode in July 2020. PM Modi later also held the first in-person meeting with his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi during which the two leaders had extensive talks on diversifying the bilateral ties.

The PM will be in Rome and the Vatican City from October 29 to 31 to participate in the G-20 Summit and meet the Pope and the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

‘Maja ma chho’, PM tells Indians

Covid and farmers’ struggle necessitated a carefully curated crowd at Rome for an interaction with PM Modi but there was no diminishing of exuberance as he was greeted by lusty chants of “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “Modi-Modi” by local Indians. After paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Piazza Gandhi, the PM interacted with Indians, one of whom was heard asking, “Narendra bhai, khem chho” (How are you Narendra bhai?).

“Maja ma chho” (I am fine), the PM replied, which was captured on a video put out by the PMO. The PM also spoke to a crowd largely from his home state of Gujarati.