India and the European Union finalised a comprehensive mobility agreement on Tuesday, which will create new opportunities for Indian students and professionals in Europe. This agreement was reached during the India-EU summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.
“This (pact) will open up new opportunities in the European Union for Indian students, workers, and professionals,” Modi said after the summit.
“We have a long-standing and extensive cooperation in science and technology. Today, we have decided to strengthen these important linkages further,” he said in his media statement. France, Germany, and Italy are among the European nations that have migration and mobility partnerships with India. The two sides also launched a strategic agenda to provide for cooperation in a range of areas for the next five years.
“In a complex global environment, this agenda will provide clear direction, advance our shared prosperity, accelerate innovation, strengthen security cooperation, and deepen people-to-people ties,” the prime minister said.
At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri elaborated on the importance of the mobility pact. “This is the first such mobility-related agreement that we are concluding at the EU level. For the EU, this is the first with any partner,” he said.
The foreign secretary stated that the pact “will facilitate and streamline safe, regular migration, support skill development, and ease the movement of highly skilled workers, students, researchers, and seasonal workers.”
A joint statement from the leaders emphasised that education and people-to-people connections have become essential components of the India-EU strategic partnership. They expressed their approval of the completion of the India-EU comprehensive framework of cooperation on mobility, which aligns with the national competences of EU member states, India, and the domestic legislation of both parties.
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The leaders also praised the launch of the first pilot European Legal Gateway office, designed to serve as a one-stop hub that provides information and supports the movement of workers, beginning with the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Moreover, they reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration on safe, regular, and orderly migration. This includes establishing circular pathways for highly skilled workers, students, researchers, and seasonal workers in occupations facing shortages, while also strengthening cooperation to combat irregular migration.
To further educational and academic collaboration, both sides agreed to initiate an education and skills dialogue aimed at promoting skill development, facilitating the recognition of qualifications and study periods abroad, and supporting systemic collaboration in higher and vocational education.
