Member of the European Parliament (MEP), who also sits on the committee of Foreign Affairs, Prof Dr Vladimir Prebilic has called for the "deepening of friendship with India" even as he hoped that the EU gets more Indian students and skilled Indian workers. 

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Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal in Brussels, Dr Prebilic, who was elected from Slovenia said, "If Europe needed new friends, this is the time, and I think India is the right answer to our questions and our needs. I would say that we are really pushing forward with some agreements.'

This year will be a big year for India-EU ties, with the expected visit of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission to India very soon and later this year the India-EU Summit. 

The legislator also suggested a program along the lines of the Erasmus program that will "enable Indian students to come to Europe and vice versa".

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Erasmus Programme, officially known as the "European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students," is a major initiative by the European Union aimed at enhancing education, training, youth, and sports across Europe. Full interview.

WION: How do you see India-EU ties?

Prof Dr Vladimir Prebilic: First of all, thank you for your visit and have the opportunity to talk to you. I have found the line that if there was ever a very good chance to deepen the relationship with India, now is the time. Why? Because we are living in a very unstable geopolitical environment. I always say, that if Europe needs new friends, this is the time, and I think India is the right answer to our questions and our needs. I would say that we are really pushing forward with some agreements. One of them is a free trade agreement that should be underway. European Parliament definitely supports this kind of approach, but I think there are many other options to deepen our friendship with India. I think that India also is much closer to Europe than to other countries, let's say United States or China. And there are certain historical reasons. They also have certain cultural reasons. And I always say much more unites us, India and the European Union than divides us. So let's explore these possibilities in the future. 

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WION: So there are many things that bring India and the EU together. One, it looks like, could be education. How do you see the education pillar of the relationship expanding Indian students are everywhere in the world. What's your suggestion or plans to get more Indian students here in the European Union

Prof Dr Vladimir Prebilic: Within the European Union, we've already had a special program called the Mobility Program, known under the name of Erasmus. I would suggest, already started to do that, to suggest another program that will enable Indian students to come to Europe and vice versa. Why? I think that knowledge sharing is a very good starting point if you want to create a true relationship or true friendship between the two entities. Moreover, exchanging knowledge is beneficial for both sides. So I think there is a great opportunity, and also we can learn a lot from each other maybe some stereotypes that may still exist on both sides, on Indian or European sites, could be handled or removed by deepening the knowledge about each other. So I think this new approach of Erasmus being available for Indian students and European students to exchange is a great opportunity.

WION: My last question to you is when it comes to immigration because immigration is a big debate here in the European Union. How do you see Indian immigrants? Because when it comes to Indian immigrants, a large portion of Indian immigrants are skilled workers, and they have been lauded across the world. So what's your view about having Indian immigrants in the European Union? 

Prof Dr Vladimir Prebilic: So you would know that demography in the European Union doesn't really work in the way we would like to. So we have problems with natural reproduction. So immigration will be needed also in the future. But whenever we talk about immigration, of course, we have to talk about legal immigration. We would like to influence who will be the one sharing our future together. And I see India as a very good potential partner. Again, there are a lot more things that unite us. So we are not so far away culturally. And of course, not to forget, you are the biggest democracy in the world. And democracy is something that your opinion always stands by. So I think this is a very good opportunity for both sides, that you would have more opportunities to also become part of European society.