Citing strategic interests by supplier countries like Russia and China, a top EU official urged European nations to go for greater cooperation with India in green energy transition and technology, which was inclusive and socially just.
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called for a long-term partnership with India in coordination with the G7 countries and highlighted the need for affordable and alternative ways of producing energy, emphasizing that the transition must be socially just in order to be successful.
"We are determined to make the green energy transition inclusive and socially just. The transition has to be just or it will not happen. If it is not just,
He called for increased energy cooperation between the EU and India on solar energy, green hydrogen, and offshore green energy, and stressed the importance of outreach towards the private sector in both regions. He suggested that a long-term partnership between the EU and India, in coordination with the G7 countries, could be mutually beneficial.
"We were dependent by 40% of from gas imports from Russia, and for some member states by 100%. We have learned that the supplier can have strategic intentions and that the nature of the regime of the supplier matters. We have had to take important steps in order to free ourselves from these dependencies – and we succeeded," he said.
"And I think that in this geopolitical setting,
"This will be mutually beneficial and a long-term partnership with India in coordination with the G7 countries," he said.
Borrell also highlighted the rise of non-US companies in the technological race and emphasised the importance of collaboration with India in critical raw materials and digital initiatives.
He mentioned four companies that are becoming the masters of the technological future, namely Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) from Taiwan, SML from the Netherlands, BYD and CATL from China and stated that these companies are critical for the production of semiconductors, which are necessary for many devices and machines. Taiwan and South Korea will dominate the industry of semiconductors, he noted.
Borrell pointed out that the European Union imports 85% of all semiconductors that it uses, making access to and control of critical raw materials key in the future.
He also mentioned the need for materials like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth for batteries and magnets for turbines for the green transition, which are physically located in a limited number of countries.
Borrell stressed the interest in deepening collaboration with India in a number of ongoing digital initiatives to deliver tangible results.
The call for collaboration comes as the EU and India look to strengthen their strategic partnership and engage in discussions on a wide range of issues, including digital transformation and green transition. The EU has also announced plans to increase its strategic autonomy in the field of technology and to reduce its dependence on other countries.
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(Edited by : Pradeep John)
