New Delhi: On Wednesday, the European Union (EU) unveiled a new vision of a deeper strategic relationship with India encompassing trade, technology and security, even though the Bloc Foreign and Security Head, Kaja Kallas, said that India’s participation in military exercises with Russia and Russian oil purchases “are held in the process of closer links”.
The “new EU-Indian strategic program” has been jointly announced in Brussels by the European Commission and the high EU representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. The new strategy should be approved by the 27 block member states by the end of the year so that it can be adopted at the top of India-EU at the beginning of 2026.
The strategy identifies five areas of common interest and complementary forces, including trade, investment and technology, and supports the finalization of negotiations in progress for a free trade agreement (ALE). However, Kallas said that the bilateral relationship is not only focused on trade while India’s military links with Russia and Russian energy purchases continue to be a factor.
“In the end, our partnership does not only concern trade but also the defense of the international order based on rules,” said Kallas when the new strategy was announced. “Participate in military exercises, oil purchases – all these obstacles to our cooperation when it comes to deepening links.”
Kallas referred to the participation of India, as well as in the soldiers of China, Cuba and Iran, in the joint military exercise of Zapad in Russia with the Bélarus. India sent a military quota of 65 members to participate in the financial year from September 10 to 16. Two American military observers also attended the exercise in Bélarus, surprising EU members.
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The departure of the Indian contingent for the exercise of Zapad coincided with the first visit to India by the EU political and security committee, a key organization responsible for common, security and defense policies of the block. The members of the committee would have raised the question during the meetings with Indian interlocutors.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who focused on deepening cooperation with India, including defense and security, has played the new strategy as an effort to strengthen relations with “reliable partners” like India.
“It is now time to focus on reliable partners and double the partnerships anchored in shared interests and guided by common values. With our new EU-India strategy, we make our relationship at the next level,” said Von Der Leyen.
In addition to advancing trade, investments and mobility of talents and the strengthening of joint economic security, the strategy aims to stimulate innovation and to deepen industrial cooperation in defense, she said. “Europe is already the largest trading partner in India and we are committed to finalizing our free trade agreement by the end of the year. Europe is open to business. And we are ready to invest in our common future with India, ”she added.
India and the EU organized their 13th round of talks on the Ale in New Delhi last week and another tour is scheduled in Brussels from October 8. EU Maroš Šefčovič and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen also visited India last week to add a political will to negotiations. Negotiations were stimulated by American prices of 50% on Indian goods.
Indian-EU trade in goods has increased by almost 90% in the last decade and was worth 120 billion euros in 2024, while the trade in services amounted to 59.7 billion euros in 2023.
The new EU strategy for India covers five pillars – trade, investment, technology and sustainability; Defense and security; global connectivity and problems; coordination on issues such as the mobility of the workforce; And the next steps have focused on shared priorities – with the aim of growing predictable and long -term relationships.
As part of the pillar dedicated to trade and technology, the EU will seek to strengthen supply channels, to promote critical and emerging technologies and to embark on digital issues. It also offers ambitious initiatives for decarbonization and green transition, and highlights the opportunities to jointly strengthen food security and climate resilience.
As part of an India-Ucurity and Defense partnership project, the Bloc will improve strategic consultations and joint maritime security, cyber defense and the fight against terrorism, and promotes industrial defense cooperation. The two parties are involved in discussions on an information security agreement to facilitate classified information exchanges to strengthen defense and security cooperation.
The EU also plans to intensify engagement with India on the “Russian war against Ukraine, shadows and sanctions” under the pillar of defense and security.
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