New Delhi: The European Union Political and Security Committee including 27 Envoyes du Bloc will undertake a five-day visit to India from Wednesday while the two parties will explore the means to give new impetus to the global links, in particular by sealing the long-term free trade agreement.
The influential committee led by Ambassador Delphine Pronk, during his first visit to India, will organize strategic discussions with representatives of the high-level Indian government, representatives of the private sector defense, civil society organizations and Think-Tanks.
The Political and Security Committee (PSC) is made up of EU member states ambassadors based in Brussels and is chaired by the European External Action Service.
He plays a decisive role in the conduct of the EU foreign and current security policy (CFSP) and the common security and defense policy (CSDP).
The visit to the PSC coincides with the 13th cycle of negotiations between India and the EU for the proposed free trade agreement that the two parties seek to finalize by December.
The visit to the PSC also occurs for months before the next edition of the India-EU summit which should take place in India in the first half of next year.
“This in-depth commitment aims to provide a complete assessment of political priorities, while exploring future avenues to improve cooperation on key foreign policy issues, security and defense, especially in the next EU-India summit,” said EU reading.
The main responsibilities of the PSC include monitoring of the international situation and the recommendation of strategic approaches to the European Union.
“The collaboration of the EU-India is vital in key areas of mutual interest, including the fight against terrorism, cybersecurity, hybrid threats, maritime security and awareness of the maritime field, space security, the cooperation of the defense industry and the fight against manipulation and the interference of foreign information,” said the Ambassador Pronk.
“These critical problems will be raised in our program and the ideas and recommendations collected during our visit will be presented to the main EU political leaders, opening the way to increased cooperation,” he added.
Herve Delphin, the European Union ambassador to New Delhi, said the EU and India have become “natural partners” with highly convergent interests and shared values in the “volatile geopolitical and economic landscape”.
“Our managers are determined to raise the EU-Indian strategic partnership and exploit its immense potential,” he said. “This mutual profit partnership can contribute to the prosperity and the security of our citizens and contribute to global stability and security.”
Ambassador Delphin said that the PSC visit to India highlights the European team’s collective desire to strengthen links with India, in particular in the field of defense and security cooperation. Reading the EU noted that the visit is based on recent “key stages”, including the trip to the college of EU commissioners in India in February, the EU-India inaugural strategic dialogue in June and the next EU-India summit in early 2026.
“The EU is one of the largest business and investors in India, the two parties aimed at concluding a free trade agreement by the end of 2025,” he said.
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