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While the EU-India
relations go back to the early 1960s, they have assumed strategic
depth and maturity in recent years, with the enhancement of
bilateral interaction. The 1994 cooperation agreement signed
between EU and India took bilateral relations beyond merely
trade and economic cooperation. Together with the Joint Political
Statement signed in 1993 it opened the way for annual ministerial
meetings and a broad political dialogue. Since then, dialogues
have been held at different levels and at regular intervals.
Over the years,
the EU and India have developed a close relationship that
covers key areas such as political relations, trade and investment,
economic and development cooperation as well as cultural exchanges.
The 5th Summit at The Hague on 8th November 2004 was a landmark
Summit for it endorsed the EU's proposal to upgrade its relationship
with India to a 'Strategic Partnership'.
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At the Summit, it was agreed
to increase interaction at the parliamentarian level between
the two sides. The formation of the India-European Union Forum
of Parliamentarians is an initiative to accentuate the India-EU
partnership in a multitude of spheres through inter-parliamentarian
dialogue and cooperation. The forum has representation by parliamentarians
from across the political spectrum.
The India-European Union Forum of Parliamentarians (IEUFP) was
formally launched on the 2nd of April 2005 by Shri K. Natwar
Singh, Hon'ble Union Minister for External Affairs at the Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Federation
House. Also present on the occasion were H.E. Francisco de Camara
Gomes, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Commission
and Mr. Shyam Saran, Foreign Secretary of the Government of
India. The forum is chaired by Mr. Dinesh Trivedi, a senior
member of Parliament from the All-India Trinamool Congress and
co-chaired by Mr. Robert Kharshiing, who is from the Nationalist
Congress Party. Well known journalist, Mr. Ramesh Chandran,
who was earlier based in Washington D.C is the Executive Director
of the Forum. He runs the operational aspects of the Forum.
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This endeavour is initiated
and supported by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce
& Industry (FICCI). FICCI was founded by Mahatma Gandhi
75 years ago and is the apex national industry and business
organisation of the country. FICCI represents 2,50,000 business
establishments covering in its fold India's largest corporates
to small business organisations. It has also established extensive
international presence through its joint business councils
and its representative offices overseas. FICCI also supports
successful forums of parliamentarians that foster bilateral
relations with the United States, United Kingdom and Germany,
namely, the India-U.S Forum of Parliamentarians, the Indo-British
Forum of Parliamentarians and the Indo-German Forum of Parliamentarians
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