Author: Supriya Jena

New Delhi: India and the European Union (EU) are meeting to talk about a new free trade agreement (FTA). This meeting is important, especially since US President Donald Trump has threatened to place high tariffs on goods coming from the EU, which can impact trade for many countries.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in New Delhi with 20 other EU leaders. This is their first big visit since they started their new jobs last year. They will be meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other important ministers like S. Jaishankar (External Affairs), Piyush Goyal (Commerce), and Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance).

Von der Leyen has called India a “strategic ally,” especially during these times of global competition. She said, “In times of conflict, you need trustworthy friends. For Europe, India is one of those friends.” They plan to discuss how to strengthen their partnership.

India will bring up the issue of new laws in the EU like a carbon tax and rules against deforestation that could affect small Indian businesses. The EU wants to help its smaller businesses sell more products, and they should also help Indian businesses in return.

Important trade talks will take place during this visit, leading into a series of discussions scheduled in Brussels in mid-March. These talks were paused for six months and are now resuming. Both sides hope for friendly discussions, especially because of the potential tariffs from the US.

Hours before Von der Leyen’s arrival, Trump announced plans for big tariffs on EU goods, claiming the EU is hurting the US economy. He plans to charge 25% on cars and other products. The EU has said they will respond strongly to these tariffs.

Von der Leyen’s team aims to build better ties with India, focusing on trade and security. They will discuss high-tech areas like telecommunications and artificial intelligence at their meeting.

Both sides also want to work together more on defense matters, with talks about sharing information and joint exercises between the Indian Navy and the EU navies.

Von der Leyen started her visit by honoring Mahatma Gandhi. After their meeting, Jaishankar praised the importance of strengthening ties between India and the EU. While discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, India made it clear it believes that dialogue between Russia and Ukraine is the best way forward.

The EU is India’s biggest trading partner, with trade between the two exceeding $137 billion this year. They have been discussing a free trade agreement since 2007 but only resumed talks in 2022 after many years.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, recently watched a test that launched strategic cruise missiles. He said the country must be ready to use its nuclear weapons as a form of protection. According to state media, the test aimed to send a warning to “enemies” and show that North Korea is prepared for any confrontation.

Kim emphasized that having strong weapons is the best way to keep the country safe. He claimed it’s the duty of North Korea’s military to protect the nation’s independence and security using their nuclear defenses. The missile test took place over the sea near the west coast of Korea.

South Korea’s military noticed signs of the missile launches and tracked several missiles that were shot off around 8 a.m. on Wednesday. North Korea has been working on cruise missiles for a long time, which can carry nuclear warheads. These types of missiles often cause less worry compared to ballistic missiles since they are not outright banned by international rules.

While Kim didn’t name any specific countries in his warnings, he has continued to speak harshly about the United States and South Korea. This news comes after Kim visited military schools, stressing the need for loyalty and better training for young officers.

In New Delhi, the IT and Information Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw talked about how news publishers aren’t getting enough money from big tech companies like Google and Meta. He asked the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) to suggest clear steps to help news outlets shift from traditional media to digital platforms. Vaishnaw emphasized the need for fair payment for quality content created after careful checks.

Sanjay Jaju, the information secretary, added that the government is thinking about new rules to ensure fairness and modernization in the news industry. He pointed out that many media companies create great content but aren’t getting enough money in return, which could hurt quality journalism.

At the same conference, IndiaAI CEO Abhishek Singh announced plans to work with Prasar Bharati and All India Radio. This partnership aims to gather news in multiple languages, which will help people creating AI models. Singh encouraged news publishers to share their multilingual content, which can be valuable for developing AI applications.

Singh mentioned that the first version of the IndiaAI Datasets Platform will launch soon and that they have chosen 30 useful applications aimed at helping farmers and diagnosing diseases. There are ongoing efforts to clean and organize government data that can help develop AI services too.

During the event, IT Secretary S. Krishnan stated that existing laws are good enough to handle problems like deepfakes and misinformation, although new rules might be introduced if needed. He said AI can benefit society far more than it can harm it, and regulations should support growth while protecting people.

The topic of AI and copyright was also important during the conference. The DNPA and some of its members are involved in a lawsuit over copyright issues concerning AI-generated content. Jaju expressed concerns that AI often favors certain stories without paying original creators, which raises important questions about ownership.

Jaju highlighted the need for a fair revenue-sharing system to keep quality journalism alive. He warned that misinformation and sensational journalism could hurt democracy, and the current laws are sometimes misused to avoid accountability for spreading false news. He urged media platforms to take responsibility for the dangerous effects of their algorithms.

In New Delhi, leaders from India and the European Union (EU) are meeting to further discussions on a significant free trade agreement (FTA). This meeting is crucial as it comes after US President Donald Trump suggested imposing high tariffs on EU goods.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in New Delhi with a group of EU officials to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers. This visit marks the first time the official EU group has come to India.

Von der Leyen emphasized the friendship and strategic partnership between India and Europe via a social media post. This meeting is particularly important given Trump’s threats, which hint he might charge a 25% tax on EU products, including cars.

In response, the EU has stated it will take strong action against what it views as unfair tariffs. During their meeting, Modi and Von der Leyen will focus on promoting trade and cooperation in key sectors like technology, defense, and climate change.

They will also discuss a second meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, a group focused on collaboration in technology and trade. Plans include working together on 6G technology, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors.

Enhancing defense cooperation is another goal, including better coordination between the Indian Navy and European navies, particularly in areas like the Red Sea.

Von der Leyen began her trip by honoring Mahatma Gandhi. After their meeting, India’s external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, praised her commitment to strengthening ties between India and Europe.

While the EU will likely bring up the Russia-Ukraine conflict and sanctions against Russia, India is clear that solutions can only come from discussions between the two countries. Despite challenges, the trade relationship between India and the EU is strong, with substantial growth over the past decade.

In summary, this meeting aims to enhance economic ties, defense collaboration, and technological partnerships between India and the EU.