Irish Ambassador Proposes Joint Economic Commission with India

By A Staff Reporter

Delhi: Kevin Kelly, the Ambassador of Ireland to India, has proposed the creation of a joint economic commission between Ireland and India. Speaking on the potential benefits of such a commission, Kelly highlighted it as a valuable opportunity for both governments to discuss and explore avenues for increased collaboration. “It would be great if we have a joint economic commission. It is an opportunity for the two governments to get together and talk about what are the opportunities for partnership and engagement,” Kelly said.

Kelly praised India’s economic trajectory, noting its rapid growth and future prospects. “India is a huge, massive economy on the rise. It's shortly going to be the third-largest economy in the world,” he remarked. Reflecting on Ireland’s own economic evolution, he compared it to India’s progress, stating, “We’ve gone from being the poorest country in Europe when we joined the European Union in 1973 to the richest country in Europe in 2024.”

On India’s role in the Asia-Pacific region, Kelly expressed admiration for the country’s growing influence. “India is a leader within this region, and it’s only getting stronger, in terms of the size of the economy and the size of the population,” he observed. He encouraged India to leverage its position to address regional and global issues, saying, “We would like to see India use that influence as much as it can in terms of helping to resolve issues and conflicts that emerge within the neighbourhood, but also abroad.”