New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has said that India is taking the lead position as the biggest democracy in the world and called for important democracies like India and the European Union to work together as the world is divided due to the war between Russia and Ukraine as well as the situation in Gaza.
In an interview with ANI on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue here, Margus Tsahkna also talked about the need to get rid of “dependence on the Chinese political economy”.
He said Estonian companies are ready to invest in India and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make In India’ programme.
The minister said Estonia has a small population compared to India but has many things to offer and talked about growth in IT and defence sectors.
“Estonian companies are ready to come to India to invest. I like the Prime Minister program ‘Make In India’. It helps us, our small companies, relatively small companies to scale up and also produce in India. And India is taking the lead position as the biggest democracy in the world. And at the same time, when the world is divided because of Russian aggression, the situation in Gaza, in Africa, it is very important that democracies, as we are, the European Union and India, we are keeping together,” he said.
“And as well, India is taking more lead to get us rid of the dependence from the China political economy. So it is very useful and very practical matter as well to be here. And we are not alone as Estonia. We are together with Nordic-Baltic foreign ministers as a group. So, we have found very warm welcome and also very practical cooperation,” he added.
The visiting minister said they have precise projects and investments.
“Estonia is the leading country in the world about IT solutions, about cybersecurity, 99 per cent of our public services are online. We have an e-government system. We have developed it together with our private sector. So we have eleven unicorns in Estonia, which makes us a nation with the highest rate of unicorns per capita. So this is something we can offer as well to India. We have…projects already running together and also we are waiting of course the Indian expertise to Estonia, investments, energy sector because we have the same very high goals to reach of renewable energy 2030,” he added.
He said that many European nations are willing to sign agreements with India and expressed hope that India and the European Union can reach an agreement on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Lauding India’s growth, he said that India has great potential.
Asked about negotiations between India and EU on FTA, Margus Tsahkna said, “Indeed, we have had negotiations years with India, but I see as well here in Raisina Dialogue that many countries in Europe as well bilaterally are ready to sign or signing the agreements, bilateral agreements. So, I do hope that we reach on that table with EU and India as well, because everybody understands that we have to cooperate.”
“India has tremendous economic growth and very strong leadership and we all understand and we must share the same values as democracy, as freedom. And India is a leading country in the region and has great potential. And I see that these processes of negotiations, they’re speeding up because we need the practical solutions, we need a cooperation and it is the interest of both sides,” he added.
He praised the Raisina Dialogue being held in the national capital.
“During this conference, we have had many bilateral meetings on all different levels And I have as well a business delegation with me from Estonia, with Estonian companies and I see that our relations are going and booming.”
The Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the international community, is being held in India from February 21-23.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue on February 21. Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the inaugural session as the Chief Guest and delivered the keynote address. (ANI)
