Blair presses for strong EU-India trade

Prime Minister Tony Blair is eager to bolster Europe’s business ties with India at an EU-India summit that opened today, arguing the West should embrace the booming nation’s emergence as an economic power rather than fear it as a job-stealing threat.

Blair, who arrived in New Delhi late yesterday after two days of trade-focused meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing, says wealthy nations must adapt to the fast-moving changes of economic globalization by building close relationships with new trade partners.

He met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today at the start of the annual EU-India meeting.

The two will meet again tomorrow for Britain-India talks at the Indian prime minister’s retreat in the Himalayas. Britain holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

Blair is travelling with a delegation of European business leaders, who met Indian executives during a parallel business summit that also opened today in New Delhi.