India and Ireland agreed to establish a JEC to coordinate on trade and international economic issues, including those related to the WTO.
The decision was made after talks between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ireland’s Foreign Minister & Deputy PM Simon Harris in Dublin.
The JEC will meet once every two years.
A formal agreement is expected later this year.
Context & European Union (EU) Connection:
The JEC announcement followed a visit by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
India and the EU (of which Ireland is a member) aim to finalize their Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the end of 2025.
Bilateral Cooperation & Key Discussions:
The Ministers reviewed bilateral relations and global/regional matters of mutual interest.
Key areas of discussion: trade, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
Plans to expand collaboration in:
Higher education
Cybersecurity
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Fin-tech
Semiconductors
Significance of Ireland in Semiconductors:
Ireland hosts about half of the world’s top 30 semiconductor companies.
India aims to strengthen its presence in this sector.
Current India-Ireland bilateral trade stands at approximately €16 billion.
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