PM Narendra Modi’s Brussels visit cancelled as EU fails to respond

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brussels next month for the India-European Union summit has fallen through thanks to the EU’s unusual action in failing to respond to India’s suggestions on dates for the summit.

India had sent the dates early this year, and the EU’s non-response even weeks after that led New Delhi to reschedule the PM’s tour of Europe in April. Brussels no longer figures in the PM’s itinerary.

Former Italian foreign minister Federica Mogherini, who’s the EU’s foreign policy head currently, has had many runins with New Delhi over the trial of Italian marines. Even as EU’s foreign policy head, Mogherini has made statements severely critiquing India.

In January, Mogherini had said in European Parliament that “it’s good for everyone to be fully aware of how much of an impact the unresolved dispute of the two Italian Navy officials can have on relations between the EU and India. It is putting them to the test”.

New Delhi had reacted strongly to the statement. Senior diplomats, who didn’t want to be identified, told ETthe EU’s non-response to India’s suggestions was unusual. They said Brussels’ handling of the situation has been “unpleasant”.

“It has left a bitter aftertaste,” a senior diplomat told ET. Arranging dates for bilateral summits is a long and complicated process and governments involved exchange suggestions months before a summit.

Responding to ET’s emailed questionnaire, Chargé d’Affaires Cesare Onestini of the Delegation of the European Union to India said, “No date has been formally proposed to the Indian side.” Onestini did not respond to a question on why the EU did not get back to India on the latter’s suggestions on dates for the summit. Mogherini’s office did not respond to questions from ET.

India’s suggestions on dates, officials said, had gone well in time given this norm. But the EU’s lack of response to this well-established routine despite reminders took India by surprise, officials said. “It became apparent that the EU was not interested in an EU-India summit in April,” a senior diplomat said.

The Italian marines issue continues to bedevil India’s relationship with Italy. A high-pitched debate took place in European Parliament in January before a resolution against India was passed on the marines case. An Italian member, Lara Comi, even threatened to block the free-trade agreement with India.

The two Italian marines accused of murdering Indian fishermen off Kerala’s coast in February 2012 are currently facing trial in the Supreme Court. Italy insists the marines should be repatriated and face a trial at home since they are defence personnel.