European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Friday said the European Union is looking forward to the summit with India in Portugal in May. Portugal assumed the six-month rotating EU presidency on January 1. 

“This will be a crucial period, this Portuguese Presidency, to revive the transatlantic partnership, to further develop our relationship with Africa, and indeed to deepen our ties with India” she told a press conference in Lisbon this evening where she had gone for the launch of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union.

“I very much look forward to the EU-India Summit that will take place in Porto in May. Global Europe will benefit a lot from the Portuguese presidency,” she said. 

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa told the joint press conference that they have invited EU Heads of State, EU institutions, social partners and other key stakeholders to an European Social Summit in Porto on May 7.

“Before the social summit , we should organise a summit with India so that we can stress the importance of that relationship,” he said.

“We also want to develop our presence in the Indo-Pacific region. We look at the agreement on investment with China. We think this needs to be developed in this (EU) presidency. This should set new paces for our relationship , and be used to inspire our relationship with India,” added Costa.