The agreement, finalized after 13 years of negotiations, shows growing mutual understanding between India and the European Union

On a day that India and the European Union discussed trade and investment, defence and security and economic cooperation during their first ever virtual summit, the two sides on Tuesday finalized a framework agreement on civil nuclear cooperation on Wednesday.

It provides for extensive cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector including in research and development for peaceful uses of nuclear energy, said officials of the European Union.

The agreement has been finalized after 13 years of negotiations between the two sides. While this shows growing mutual understanding between India and the European Union, the first ever virtual summit is expected to further broad base ties between the two sides.

The summit will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen.

During the summit both sides will review India-EU cooperation covering political and security relations, trade and investment and economic cooperation.

The summit is also expected to discuss developments around the Covid-19 pandemic and contemporary global matters of interest to both sides.

The last India-EU summit was held on October 6, 2017 in New Delhi.