The European Union (EU) plans to restart trade talks with India to offer the South Asian country a viable alternative to diversifying away from Russia, reports media. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is on a two-day visit to India. In addition to trade, the EU will also set up a technical committee with India that could include discussions on general data protection regulations, social media, and broader digitalisation efforts.

Ahead of his visit to India, the president of the European Commission said on Saturday that both India and the 27 EU countries want to take the relationship to the next level. Ryan will hold extensive talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on further strengthening two-way cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, climate change, and security. Russia’s war on Ukraine and Indo-European cooperation in the Indo-Pacific are also expected to be in the discussion.

“I’m going to New Delhi to celebrate the 60th anniversary of EU-India relations. During these 60 years, we have built a strong friendship. We all now want to take our cooperation to the next level. Looking forward to my discussions with @narendramodi,” Ryan wrote on Twitter. The EU is India’s third-largest trading partner, with goods traded at 62.8 billion euros ($67.8 billion).

The European Union and the United States are working to forge closer ties with India, the world’s largest buyer of Russian arms it says it uses to deter aggression by neighbouring Pakistan and China. On the first day of a two-day visit to India, Leyen participated in an interactive event called TERI Gram on the Energy and Resources Institute campus, where she asserted the need to work together for a green, sustainable, and equitable future effort.

Young people are advocates for tackling climate change, saving the planet, and developing solutions, the EU president said. Climate change and biodiversity loss are at the top of the political agenda in the European Union (EU) and India. Noting that young people should have a voice for climate action, Leyen said: “Youths are advocates for climate change and the fight for the planet. But they are also the ones developing solutions for a Green Future” campaign.