The Hague: Embarking on a strategic partnership to upgrade their ties, India and European Union today (Nov 8, 2004) pledged to bolster cooperation to combat international terrorism and enhance collective action against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) while agreeing to expand trade and investment flows.

At the India-EU summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Dutch counterpart Jan Peter Balkenende, who heads the rotating EU Presidency, agreed on various aspects of cooperation in areas covering political, trade, culture and technology that will be elaborated in a comprehensive EU-India Action Plan for a strategic partnership and a new Joint Political Declaration.

A ten-page joint press statement issued at the end of the fifth summit at The Hague said, "We stress that further strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism is a priority area" for a strategic partnership between them that would seek to deepen international consensus and efforts to fight the menace.

Outlining a five-point action plan against terrorism, the two sides vowed to reduce the access of terrorists to financial and other economic resources, address the issues which create an environment conducive to terrorism, including support for and recruitment into terrorism.

They resolved to step up collective action to fight proliferation of WMDs as well as the means of delivery in recognition of shared concerns of the international community regarding the dangers posed by proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, including acquisition by non-state actors.