European Parliament delegation discusses range of issues with Indian officials at US

A delegation of European Parliament discussed with Indian officials a wide range of issues including the United Nations reform, peacekeeping, human rights and disarmament.

The delegation of 17 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) visited India's Permanent Mission to the UN and the two sides held an hour-long discussion on a range of issues.

"Engaging to enhance ties @UN. We @IndiaUNNewYork were happy to host a delegation of 17 Members of European Parliament to discuss efforts to enhance r ties @UN," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.

Responding to a question to his tweet on whether the lawmakers were official EU delegates, Akbaruddin responded in the affirmative, adding that the "MEPs from 10 countries from five different groups in the European Parliament had a very engaging discussion for an hour".

Chairs of Foreign Relations, Human Rights and Defence Committees of the EU Parliament were also part of the delegation.

The main issues discussed during the meeting were UN reform, peacekeeping, human rights, disarmament, climate action and ways in which the European Union and India can work together on these issues.

Sources said that the focus was also on how the two democratic orientations - the EU and India - can work together and on ways to cooperate together to strengthen multilateralism.

The meeting in New York took place on the same day that a group of 27 European lawmakers travelled to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions, a major diplomatic outreach by the government to counter Pakistan's narrative on the situation in the Valley and to give them a "clear view" of India's development and governance priorities.

Ahead of their two-day Kashmir visit, the visiting Members of European Parliament had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who categorically told them that an urgent action was needed against those supporting and sponsoring terrorism.