PM Narendra Modi poses with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel (R) upon his arrival at a welcoming ceremony ahead of their meeting on March 30, 2016 in Brussels. (AFP Photo)
Highlights
- PM Modi in Brussels to attend India-EU Summit
- PM to hold talks with EU leaders seeking to boost investment
- EU is India's biggest trading partner and source of foreign investment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun talks today with EU leaders in Brussels, seeking to boost investment.
He is in the Belgian capital for the
13th EU-India summit, held the week after deadly suicide bombings hit the city's airport and subway.
The PM paid tribute to the lives lost in a bombing at a metro station.
The explosion killed 31-year-old Infosys employee Raghavendran Ganesan, who was travelling in the same coach as the suicide bomber.
Before that, upon his arrival, the PM received a lavish welcome including from Indians, some of whom sought autographs. He will address the Indian community at an event later today.
The 27-member EU is
India's biggest trading partner and its biggest source of foreign investment, accounting for around 26 percent of total inward investment, or $69 billion.
The EU and India launched negotiations for a free-trade agreement in 2007 but progress has been held up due to differences over intellectual property rights and efforts by Brussels to link trade with climate.
From Brussels, the PM will fly to Washington DC to attend a two-day nuclear security summit.