New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): Lithuanian Ambassador to India Diana Mickeviciene has hailed the upcoming India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a major economic milestone, highlighting how the pact will unlock vast technological and commercial synergies between the two partners while helping build resilient global supply chains.

Looking ahead to the formal signing of the landmark trade pact next month, Mickeviien expressed strong optimism that the agreement will enter into force as Lithuania prepares to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

'Yes, it's definitely a very big achievement. We look forward to signing it, having it signed in December, so it's next month,' Mickeviien said. 'We are also chairing European Union Council from January to June, so we are very much hopeful that FTA will enter into force during our presidency, and we're very ready to promote it and to really work towards the better use of putting to use of FTA provisions.'

Underlining the complementary strengths of both nations, Mickeviien pointed to high-tech sectors, including telematics, lasers, artificial intelligence, biometrics, and fintech, as prime drivers for expanding bilateral cooperation.

'Lithuania, we are a small technology superpower. You are a big technology superpower and also a huge market, which is a scaling ground for technologies in small economies. So definitely, that's going to be a big game changer,' she stated.

'I would not limit my answer to one sector. I think I can mention telematics and lasers... Our lasers can be part of India's success story in smart manufacturing,' she said. 

Mickeviien also emphasised the strategic role that the India-EU partnership can play in creating secure supply chains across critical technologies, leveraging the combined scale of European and Indian markets.

'I think we are together. Two billion people in Europe, right? So while Lithuania might be small, but we are part of a big single market, 25% of world GDP. We have everything to create our own resilient and trusted supply chains,' Mickeviien explained. 'We need the scale, we need the demand, we need a partnership with a trusted partner, and then we can definitely draw our own supply chains.'

Turning to global diplomacy and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the ambassador welcomed New Delhi's recent diplomatic initiative, particularly its focus on stabilising trade routes in the Black Sea region. However, she urged India to use its influence with Moscow to encourage an end to the war.

'India has come up with an initiative very recently, which we are very supportive of. We are happy that India has taken an active stance on this. It mostly focuses on Black Sea. Obviously, it's a hub for so many routes and interests for many stakeholders in the area, but if that is handled somehow with a reasonable approach, as India has suggested, that would definitely help,' she said.

'In other parts of the same war against Ukraine, we can only support anything that contributes to or brings peace closer. But again, we see that the only stakeholder who doesn't listen is Russia. So, of course, we look at India as a friendly partner, but also as friends with Russia to somehow influence them to basically stop taking what's never been theirs,' she added. (ANI)