India's relations with the countries of Western Europe have continued to be close and productive. The end of the Cold War era, the increasing political and economic integration of West European nations into the European Union and India's de-regulation and opening up of the economy created the basis for further development of bilateral relations based on a complementarity of interests and mutual benefit. With the expansion of the European Union (EU) and its move towards a common foreign and security policy, India's political dialogue with the countries of the EU has assumed added significance. Sustained efforts have been made to strengthen the EU's under-standing on issues of vital concern to India, both regional and global.

Trade and investment ties with the European Union (EU) continued to grow at a satisfactory pace. The decision of the European Commission (EC) to bring out a "Communication" on India (special study on long-term relations) was a positive development and enabled focus on the means of fully tapping the potential for cooperation with India. A Memorandum of Understanding on the Indo-EC Economic cross-cultural Program, a scheme funded by the EC to develop a greater under-standing of the EU in India and vice-versa, was signed. EC Commissioner Emma Bonino visited India from 7-10 August 1996.

The Prime Minister visited Davos (Switzerland) and addressed the World Economic Forum in February 1997. He informed the participating corporate leaders and others of the economic reforms initiated in India and called upon the captains of industry and finance to play a valuable and mutually beneficial role in the economy to accelerate economic growth.

Indo-British relations based on complementarity of interests continued to develop satisfactorily. These ties were reinforced by high-level visits. Prime Minister John Major visited India on 9 and 10 January 1997. He attended the Confederation of Indian Industry Conference in Calcutta. Other important visitors from the British side were the Foreign Secretary, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Shadow Foreign Secretary. A delegation of Members of Parliament from the House of Commons Select Committee of Trade and Industry visited India in May 1996. There were many important visits from the Indian side too. At the invitation of the UK branch of the Commonwealth Association, a parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker, Lok Sabha visited the UK from 1-18 November 1996. Regular Foreign Office consultations and specialist level talks with the UK on United Nations and arms control issues continued and contributed to a better understanding of each other's positions.

Indo-German relations continued to make rapid strides buttressed by high level visits and progress in economic relations between the two countries. German Defense Minister visited India from 23-25 October 1996. The Minister of Economics came on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Conference of German industries in New Delhi for which a very large number of German industrialists visited India. The Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Germany visited India from 23-25 January 1997. This was his second visit to India as Foreign Minister. During his stay, he gave an address at the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation on Foreign Affairs and Security issues. From the Indian side, Chief Minister of Kerala visited Germany from 15-19 November 1996 to attract investments and to promote Kerala as a tourist destination. The 5th Meeting of the Indo-German Consultative Group took place in Berlin in August-September 1996. The recommendations of the Group were submitted to the two Heads of Government.

Relations with France continued to develop satisfactorily. Special Envoy of the French President (21-25 May 1996), Special Envoy of the French Foreign Minister (11-14 November 1996) and French Minister for Research (31 January-3 February 1997) visited India.

Relations with Italy received a boost with the visit of the President to that country from 13-16 October 1996. The Prime Minister visited Italy to attend the World Food Summit from 15-17 November 1996. Italian Minister of Foreign Trade visited India from 4-7 December 1996 to attend the Indo-Italian Joint Commission Meeting.

A number of high-level visits from Austria to India contributed to the accelera-tion of bilateral ties. Austrian Minister of Finance (4-7 August 1996), State Secretary (16-20 October 1996) and President of the Federal Economic Chamber of Austria and accompanying Austrian Businessmen (16-20 November 1996) visited India.

With Ireland assuming the Presidency of the European Union for the second half of 1996, the process of dialogue and consultations with the country increased.

During the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal to India from 6-11 February 1997 an Air Services agreement was signed between the two countries.

A delegation of the Walloon Parliament (Belgium) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium visited India from 17-25 September 1996 and 16-19 February 1997 respectively.

The Dutch Ministers for Development Cooperation and Minister for Foreign Trade visited India from 8-14 August 1996 and 12-19 October 1996 respectively. An economic package worth Rs 100 crore for promoting investments, exports and transfer of technology was announced during this visit of Minister for Foreign Trade.

Relations with Luxembourg received impetus with the visit of Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg to India from 9-13 September 1996. State Secretary of Luxembourg also visited India from 29 April-1 May 1996.

Minister for Surface Transport visited Greece from 25-27 June 1996, to attend the funeral service of former Prime Minister of Greece Andreas Papandreou.

President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides paid a State visit to India from 10-15 February 1997. The President held wide-ranging discussions with the Indian leaders, focusing on the resolution of the Cyprus issue and other multilateral, regional and bilateral issues. An Agreement on Merchant Shipping was signed during the visit.

Indo-Finland relations were given specific orientation and direction when Presi-dent of Finland Martti Ahtisari visited India in November 1996. Danish Minister for Development Cooperation visited India from 25 November4 December 1996. During his visit to India from 17-19 February 1997, the Foreign Minister of Denmark briefed the Minister of External Affairs on NATO expansion and the ASEM Foreign Minister meeting in Singapore where he was returning from.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Norwegian Parliament led by the Speaker of Norwegian parliament visited India from 8-14 January 1997.