Ahead of its proposed visit to Jammu and Kashmir, a delegation of 27 lawmakers from the European Union on Monday called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi to discuss the situation in the area. Modi, while welcoming the delegation to India, expressed the hope that the visiting lawmakers would “have a fruitful visit to various parts of the country, including to Jammu and Kashmir,” a statement issued by the Indian Prime Minister’s Office said.
It said, “their visit to Jammu and Kashmir should give the delegation a better understanding of the cultural and religious diversity of the region of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, apart from giving them a clear view of the development and governance priorities of the region."
The EU lawmakers' visit to India comes on the heels of a US Congressional meeting in Washington where a group of lawmakers expressed concern about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the Indian government’s move to scrap the state's special status granted under the Constitution and bifurcate it into two federally-ruled territories on August 5.
Alice Wells, the Acting US Assistant Secretary of State, had said the US State department had "raised concerns with the Indian government regarding the detentions of local residents and political leaders, including three former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir" Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
The US had earlier agreed that the Indian government's move in Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter of India. The Indian government too had assured the international community that it was taking steps to normalize the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Over the last few weeks, much of the curbs imposed by the Indian government in Jammu and Kashmir have been eased. Among other things, phone services - both landline and post-paid cellphone - have been restored. The Indian PM said India’s relationship with the European Union is based on shared interests and common commitment to democratic values.
He said an early conclusion of a fair and balanced Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement between India and the EU is a priority for New Delhi. Talking about the need to strengthen engagement with EU on regional and global matters, Prime Minister highlighted the importance of close international cooperation to fight terrorism. He also mentioned about the growth of International Solar Alliance as a global partnership.