EU, India looking for convenient date for summit

Declining to comment on Indian media reports about cancellation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brussels to take part in an EU-India summit in mid-April, a European Union (EU) spokesperson on Thursday revealed that Brussels and New Delhi were looking for a convenient date to host the top-level meeting.

"Regarding the summit, the EU, which is due to host it, and India are looking for a mutually convenient date, which would allow for sufficient preparation," Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in Brussels, said.

On the issue of the two Italian marines facing trial in India on charges of killing two Indian fishermen, she said the "EU has consistently called for a mutually agreeable solution, in the interest of both Italy and India, based on international law".

"The EU and India must continue to work together in the global fight against piracy and the EU is strongly committed to this goal," added the spokesperson.

The last EU-India summit was held in 2012.

Meanwhile, secretary general of the Brussels-based Europe India Chamber of Commerce, Sunil Prasad, said it was important that both EU and India build a common ground to discuss difficult issues such as the Italian marines' case.

"The Italian marine issue must not be allowed to hold the EU-India relations hostage as there are far more important issues such as the stalled EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiation that EU and India should address," he said in a press statement.