New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he had a talk with Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and that India and the EU are committed to working closely together.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Pleased to speak with President Antonio Costa. India and the EU are natural partners. We are committed to working closely together to further strengthen the India-EU Strategic Partnership, including in the areas of technology, green energy, digital space, trade and investments."

Costa reminisced about meeting PM Modi during Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2017. Costa added that India is one of the main global partners of the EU.

In a post on X, Costa said, "It was a pleasure to talk again with my long-time friend, India PM Narendra Modi. We've known each other since 2017, when he invited me to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. India is one of our main global partners. It is time to boost our relations and to engage in a new strategic agenda. Looking forward to the EU-India summit later this year. In our call, we addressed shared concerns, focusing on security, international law, and ways to collaborate in tackling geopolitical challenges in Europe and in Asia."

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, is all set to host the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2025, with several content creators and overseas Indians invited to participate in the event. The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will take place in Bhubaneswar from 8-10 January.

Arun Kumar Chatterjee, the Secretary (CPV & OIA) in the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday that the Odisha government will host two plenary sessions that will showcase the enormous potential that can be harnessed by the Indian Diaspora in Odisha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the convention and will remotely flag off the inaugural journey of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian Diaspora.