Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Added(f) ensure that any deepening of the partnership is based on the values of freedom, democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, equality, respect for human rights social justice, sustainable development and a commitment to promoting an inclusive rules-based global order;

Added(g) enable parliamentary oversight of the EU’s policy towards India through regular exchanges with Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, its Subcommittees on Human Rights and on Security and Defence and other relevant committees;

Added(h) establish a more structured and multi-level inter-parliamentary dialogue between the European Parliament and its Indian counterparts;

Added(i) ensure the active and regular transparent, open and inclusive consultation and involvement of EU and Indian civil society representatives including trade unions, environmental and women’s rights organisations and minority representatives, in the development, implementation and monitoring of EU-India relations; secure, as a matter of priority, the establishment of an EU-India Civil Society Platform for this purpose and of an EU-India Youth Summit as a side event at future EU-India summits, in order to strengthen relations between the younger generations;

Added(j) increase the EU’s public diplomacy efforts to address the knowledge deficit on both sides and improve mutual understanding and substantially enhance the framework for people-to-people exchanges, also including academia and think-tanks;

EU-India cooperation on foreign and security policy

Change 6

Removed(e) further enhance the growing cooperation in foreign and security policy through the existing dialogue mechanisms;

Added(k) further develop both parties’ growing cooperation on foreign and security policy and promote greater synergies in this field through existing dialogue mechanisms and other fora set up under the EU-India Roadmap to 2025, notably in the interest and for the advancement of democracy, human rights, rule of law and in defence of multilateralism and a rules-based international order;

Removed(f) hold the bilateral security dialogues on an annual basis, and with greater involvement of EU Member States;

Added(l) recognise that the EU-India first security and defence consultation held in June 2022 is a sign of the increasing importance of security cooperation in the partnership; draw on the posting of the first military attaché in the EU delegation in New Delhi to facilitate closer military-to-military cooperation and exchanges; hold bilateral security dialogues on an annual basis with greater involvement of EU Member States in order to strengthen the policy dialogue and produce tangible results through the effective buy-in of Member States; ensure, further, that this increasingly prominent component of the partnership effectively promotes shared security, stability and peaceful development in the Indo-Pacific region in line with the EU’s renewed commitment to diversifying relations in the Indo-Pacific region; emphasise the importance of the EU-India Counter Terrorism Dialogue;

Removed(g) expand EU-India cooperation on maritime security as an area of considerable potential;

Added(m) encourage India to strengthen regional security cooperation while acknowledging the volatile context of proliferation, military modernisation, and territorial disputes; promote conflict prevention and economic cooperation by supporting regional integration initiatives in South Asia, including within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC);

Removed(h) coordinate positions and initiatives in multilateral fora, in particular the UN, the World Trade Organization and G20, effectively aligning positions in defence of multilateralism and a rules-based international order;

Added(n) advance on the plans to strengthen police cooperation, bearing in mind that such cooperation should be accompanied by high-level data protection safeguards and guarantees that data transfers will be lawful, including through an adequacy decision taken by the Commission;

Removed(i) urge India to join the international condemnation of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine; engage with India on its continued purchases of crude oil from Russia at low prices and its subsequent sale of refined products on international markets, including in the EU; press EU-based businesses to cease purchasing such products;

Added(o) enhance cooperation on hybrid threats, particularly in the fight against disinformation campaigns, through mechanisms aiming to share evidence and intelligence;

Removed(j) underline that ensuring that a free and open, rules-based order comprising freedom of navigation, open and secure sea lines of communication, enhanced security of shipping and more robust response systems for natural disasters and non-traditional security threats should remain a priority for both partners;

Added(p) expand and broaden EU-India cooperation on maritime security also encourgaed by shared interests, in particular given China’s evolving presence in the Indo-Pacific; ensure a free and open, rules-based international order including freedom of navigation, open and secure SLOCs, enhanced security of shipping and more robust response systems for natural disasters and non-traditional security threats and for combating piracy and illegal fishing; build on experiences of constructive cooperation, in particular India’s support for the EU’s Naval Operation Atalanta (EUNAVFOR) by protecting World Food Programme vessels when requested, as well as its participation in joint passing exercises (PASSEX); follow up on the first EU-India naval exercises of June 2021 in the Gulf of Aden; encourage further a shared understanding of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; respond positively to the Indian proposal that the EU join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative; consider developing a joint EU-India regional maritime capacity-building programme for the smaller island and coastal states in the Indian Ocean;

Removed(k) continue to monitor closely the worrying situation in Indian-administered Kashmir, in particular the respect for the fundamental freedoms of the Kashmiri people; remain committed to supporting stability and de-escalation between India and Pakistan;

Added(q) strengthen EU-India cooperation on disarmament and non-proliferation and encourage India to join EU efforts to promote nuclear safety and the non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in the region;

Removed(l) monitor closely the fragile situation around the unresolved border dispute between India and China, two nuclear powers ;

Added(r) build on the EU’s first ever space strategy for security and defence,and on India’s increasing focus on space security by taking a joint initiative to encourage partners to promote multilateral solutions for the peaceful use of space and safe, secure and sustainable access to space, and to counter the risks of its increasing militarisation;

Added(s) coordinate positions and initiatives in multilateral fora by pushing for joint objectives based on shared international values and standards, particularly in the UN, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and G20, effectively aligning positions in defence of multilateralism, human rights and an inclusive rules-based international order; engage in discussions on a reform of the UN Security Council and working methods and support India’s bid for permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council; point out that the EU and India are two of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping and committed advocates for sustainable peace;

Added(t) promote joint action and coordination on development and humanitarian aid, strengthened connectivity, development of infrastructure and support for democratic processes in the Global South;

Added(u) engage with India on the issue ofits heavy military dependency on Russia and on the EU’s sanctions policy towards Russia; urge India to join the international condemnation of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, while maintaining its political line of aiming for an end to hostilities and the resumption of diplomacy and dialogue; engage with India on its continued purchases of crude oil from Russia at low prices and India’s subsequent sale of refined oil products on international markets, including in the EU; ensure proper monitoring of the implementation of restrictive measures and sanction any attempt at circumventing them, in particular by EU-based businesses who must cease purchasing such products, which constitute in essence a circumvention of EU sanctions against Russia;

Added(v) continue to closely monitor the worrying situation in Indian-administered Kashmir, in particular the respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Kashmiri people; remain committed to supporting stability, de-escalation and rapprochement through good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan on the basis of the principles of international law and through a comprehensive dialogue and a step-by-step approach; promote the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and the recommendations made in reports of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Kashmir;

Added(w) monitor closely the unresolved border dispute between India and China, who are both nuclear powers, given that in this border region the situation is fragile and there is increasing militarisation, which has the potential to intensify and affect the wider security landscape in South Asia and global security; note with concern the permanent tension in relations between India and China, due to unresolved border disputes and condemn any attempts to unilaterally change the border status quo, such as by China in 2020; underscore to both parties the critical importance of resolving the issue peacefully through dialogue and in line with the norms of international law; in this regard, welcome recent talks between leaders and the agreement to intensify efforts to disengage and de-escalate tensions along the border; welcome India’s efforts to contribute to regional stability by engaging with the region;

Human rights and democracy: from an appendix to the heart of EU-India relations

Change 7

Changed(m)(x) effectively enshrine human rights and democratic values at the heart of the EU’s engagement with India with the aim of a constructive and results-based dialogue,dialogue; includingdevelop ona thestrategy rangeand plan of shortcomingsaction into address these areas;issues, and to integrate them across the wider EU-India partnership;

Change 8

Removed(n) continue to express concern about India’s Citizenship Amendment Act; encourage India to guarantee the right to freely practice the religion of one’s choice enshrined in Article 25 of its constitution; counter and condemn hate speech;

Added(y) condemn acts of violence, increasing nationalistic rhetoric and divisive policies and call on leaders to cease making inflammatory statements in order to resolve social conflicts, including those in Manipur; continue to express serious concern, including publicly, about India’s Citizenship Amendment Act and other laws that discriminate on grounds of religion and that are dangerously divisive; encourage India to guarantee the right to freely practice the religion of one’s choice, as enshrined in Article 25 of its Constitution; counter and condemn hate speech that incites discrimination or violence against any religious minority, such as Muslims and Christians; urge the Indian authorities to take all necessary measures and make the utmost effort to halt the ongoing violence, including hate speech, against ethnic and religious minorities and certain faith-based organisations in the country and to hold the perpetrators accountable;

Change 9

Changed(o)(z) insist that India, as a founding member of the United Nations and a current member of the UN Human Rights Council, should actacts on all the recommendations inof its Universal Periodic Review process;process, including by accepting and facilitating the visits of UN special procedures and cooperate closely with them, most of which have to date not been allowed to visit the country since 1999;

Change 10

Changed(p)(aa) address the humanat rightsall situationlevels of and challenges facedits bydialogue civilwith society,the inIndian particularauthorities the concerns raised by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN special rapporteurs atabout allthe levelssituation of EUhuman dialoguerights, civil society and vulnerable and marginalised groups, such as women, children, migrants and LGBTQI persons, with thereference Indianto authorities;mutual treaty obligations under various international law instruments:

Change 11

Removed(q) engage with India in order to secure a safe environment for the work of human rights defenders, environmental and indigenous people’s defenders, trade union activists, journalists and other civil society actors; cease to invoke laws against sedition and terrorism as a means to restrict their legitimate activities; step up EU and Member State support to civil society organisations and human rights defenders, including by facilitating funding;

Added(ab) emphasise the importance of India demonstrating its commitment to respect, protect and fully enforce the constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression for all, including online, media freedom and the right to peaceful assembly and association and the independence of the judiciary; encourage India to create an environment conducive to diverse and independent journalism and to protect all media professionals as provided for by its Constitution;

Removed(r) welcome the adoption of the Women’s Reservation Bill; engage with India on its efforts to investigate and prevent gender-based violence and discrimination and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment;

Added(ac) work jointly with India to secure a safe and democratic environment for the work of human rights and environmental defenders, indigenous people and Dalit rights defenders, political opponents and trade union activists, journalists and other civil society actors; cease invoking laws against sedition, foreign funding and terrorism as a means to restrict their legitimate activities, including in Indian-administered Kashmir; release all political prisoners; stop blanket restrictions on internet access; review laws in order to avoid their possible abuse to silence dissent; amend laws that foster discrimination and facilitate access to justice and ensure accountability for human rights violations; address the harmful effects of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on civil society organisations; increase EU and Member State support for civil society organisations and human rights defenders, including by facilitating funding opportunities;

Removed(s) address prevailing caste-based discrimination in India;

Added(ad) welcome the adoption of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which will reserve one third of seats in national and state parliaments for women and is a notable step forward in the right to participation for women and gender equality in India; engage with India on its efforts to investigate and prevent gender-based violence and discrimination and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment;

Removed(t) welcome India’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and deepen cooperation with India in this area;

Added(ae) press the Indian authorities to end persisting caste-based discrimination in India and to grant rights to Adivasi communities under the Forest Rights Act; share EU experience in addressing the domestic challenges of hate crimes; adopt in particular a country strategy to help fight caste-based discrimination and to mainstream caste-related perspectives in the EU and Member State partnership with India;

Removed(u) upgrade the EU-India human rights dialogue to a bi-annual, headquarters-level dialogue and strive to make it meaningful through high-level participation and by setting concrete commitments and benchmarks for progress, addressing individual cases in line with the EU guidelines on human rights dialogues;

Added(af) recall the EU’s principled and long-standing rejection of the death penalty and reiterate its plea to India for a death penalty moratorium with a view to the permanent abolition of capital punishment;

Added(ag) welcome the adoption by India of a national action plan on business and human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; deepen cooperation with India on this, including on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and International Labour Organization conventions; recalling the responsibilities of all companies to respect human rights in their value chains, encourage India to participate actively in the ongoing negotiations on a UN binding treaty regulating business enterprises under international human rights law;

Added(ah) ensure that operations of EU-based companies in or with India are strictly in line with relevant EU legislation, including the future directive on corporate sustainability and due diligence and the future regulation on forced labour; take steps to ensure that all EU-related business activities involving extractive industries include a robust and fair consultative framework which conforms with the right to free, prior and informed consent of any indigenous peoples impacted; urge India to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and the Optional Protocol thereto and the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance;

Added(ai) encourage India to further support international justice efforts by adhering to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court;

Added(aj) upgrade the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue to a bi-annual, headquarters-level dialogue and strive to make it meaningful through high-level participation, setting concrete commitments and benchmarks for progress, addressing individual cases as per the EU guidelines on human rights dialogues; facilitate the holding of an EU-India civil society dialogue ahead of the intergovernmental dialogue; strengthen the linkages between the dialogue and cooperation in multilateral fora; ensure that the European External Action Service regularly reports to Parliament on results achieved;

Added(ak) reiterate that any FTA with India should be based on a prior, thorough, effective and comprehensive human rights and sustainability impact assessments conducted by both sides, with particular consideration for the potential impact on the most vulnerable groups; include and consult in a meaningful manner civil society organisations, including trade unions and human rights defenders during the negotiations for any major bilateral agreement; reiterate the need to act on Parliament’s long-standing position on the importance of an enforceable and robust Trade and Sustainable Development chapter aligned with the Paris Agreement;

Added(al) work towards the achievement of common and mutually beneficial objectives on trade and investment that could contribute to economic growth and innovation while complying with and contributing to respect for human rights, including labour rights; promote the fight against climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030;

Added(am) make best use of India’s commitment to multilateralism and an international rules-based trading order; promote India’s decisive role in the ongoing efforts to reform the WTO;

Connecting on climate, energy and digital issues

Change 12

Changed(v)(an) welcome the EU-India Connectivity Partnership and the commitment it includes to supporting sustainable digital, transport and energy networks tonetworks, the flow of goods, services, data and capital and the exchange of people, contributing towards the wider EU’sEU Global Gateway strategy; note that the Connectivity Partnership has become one of the most important aspects of the EU-India partnership; take note of the EU's commitment to the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment launched at the G20 in New Delhi and stress that it should be properly coordinated with the Global Gateway as well as with the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment; insist on a rigorous assessment of the sustainability and human rights impact of projects funded through the partnership, including their commercial viability and transparency, ensuring a level-playing field for businesses and respect for human rights, labour rights and environmental standards;

Change 13

Changed(w)(ao) enhance cooperation on climate and energy issues with India as a key partner in the global fight against climate change and biodiversity degradation and in thea green transition towards renewable energy and climate neutrality;neutrality, with due regard to their impact on the most vulnerable; recognise that India is providing an important example for the world by showing that simultaneously combating climate change and pursuing a development agenda is possible;

Change 14

Removed(x) step up engagement with India on health emergencies, pharmaceuticals and digital health innovations that will provide universal health coverage in India;

Added(ap) lead by example on how gender equality and the rights of indigenous communities are prioritised when implementing biodiversity targets; encourage joint partnering in promoting an ambitious common agenda and global action on biodiversity; engage with India on the challenges of global commitments on deforestation, of rapid urbanisation and industrial development;

Removed(y) recognise the substantial potential of digital issues in the EU-India partnership such as digital infrastructure and connectivity, digital policy, data protection and flows and cybersecurity;

Added(aq) welcome India’s leadership and expansion of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, encouraging global investment and coordinated policy on climate and disaster resilience; welcome the fact that both the EU and European Investment Bank are now members of the coalition, contributing therefore to the EU-India Connectivity Partnership and the implementation of the EU Global Gateway Strategy;

Removed(z) invite India to join the EU in leading the global conversation on the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence and to advance human-rights based artificial intelligence;

Added(ar) welcome and call for further progress on the EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership on renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change, bearing in mind that India’s energy needs are set to more than double in the next 20 years; encourage further investment in India in order to provide secure, affordable and sustainable energy, with a view to India achieving its ambitious renewable energy targets; continue efforts to further develop EU-India cooperation on solar energy and hydrogen; engage with India on sustainable development and environmental risks, in particular with regard to green investments, air pollution and quality and management of water resources; provide technical assistance in this regard; jointly address impacts of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism;

Removed(aa) make progress on a shared commitment not to selectively restrict or ban social media platforms and or impose blanket bans on internet and telecommunications access, while setting joint standards for a digital economy rooted in human rights;