India-EU Troika ministerial meeting on May 30

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) The 19th India-EU Troika Ministerial Meeting to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues including trade and investment, will be held here on May 30.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will lead the Indian delegation at the talks while the European Union side will be represented by Dr Dimitrij Rupel, Foreign Minister of Slovenia, in his capacity as the President of the European Council.

Ms Rama Yade, French Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, will represent the French Presidency.

The last Troika meeting took place in Berlin on May 31 last year.

Before the official India-EU Troika ministerial talks Mr Rupel and Mr Mukherjee will have bilateral discussions.

This will be followed by a meeting between Ms Rama Yade and Mr Mukherjee.

The EU, group of 27 countries, is an important trade, technology and investment partner of India.

The European Union is India's largest trading partner having 1/5th of India's total external trade. Bilateral trade crossed 55.6 billion euro in 2007 (Indian exports of euros 26.2 billion; Indian imports of euros 29.4 billion).

The EU is also home to a large Indian diaspora.

India and the EU share a 'Strategic Partnership' since 2004.

The relations have diversified from trade and economy to a wider cross-section of interaction, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said today.

''The annual Summits and Troika ministerial meetings are the highlights of the institutional structure that has facilitated regular high-level contacts between the two sides,'' he said adding that the Troika ministerial meetings provide an opportunity for general exchange of views on bilateral, regional and global issues.

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