The reserves of Europe on the links of India with Russia continue even if they remain attached to a deeper mutual relationship with New Delhi, including a free trade agreement by the end of 025.
The India-Russia relationship has been reported by one of the main EU leaders among the factors that “behave narrower”, while its president of the Director Body spoke of taking the EU-India partnership “at the higher level” and “finalizing our trade agreement by the end of the year”.
“It is now time to double the partnerships anchored in interest shared and guided by common values”, “ Ursula von der Leyenwho is president of the European Commission, the main governor branch of the EU, published on X.
But Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the Commission and High EU representative for Foreign Affairs and Common Security Policy, spoke against India’s participation in military exercises with Russia and its oil purchases when Vladimir Putin continues war against Ukraine.
“In the end, our partnership does not only concern trade, but also the defense of the international order based on rules,” said Kallas, while announcing the new Bloc strategy aimed at strengthening EU-India’s links.
The strategy also includes an offer to establish more solid links on defense and security.
India, among other Moscow allies like Iran, participated in the joint exercises of Zapad (West) in Russia with Belarus this month.
“Participate in military exercises, oil purchases – all these obstacles to our cooperation when it comes to deepening links,” Kallas said.
The EU is the largest trading partner in India, after growth of more than 90% in the last decade, said the EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic, alongside Kallas in Brussels.
Notwithstanding the question of Russia, the EU and India endeavor to conclude talks on a free trade agreement by the end of 2025 in the midst of New Delhi’s own tensions with the United States for similar questions.
The American links of India were tense after President Donald Trump increased prices on most Indian exports to 50% in August for continuous Russian oil purchases. India defended its sovereign right to buy according to national interests and stressed that even after the start of the war in Ukraine, the United States had in fact encouraged it to make these purchases to keep the world prices for failure.
But the tensions on the American price front of India have since cooled, and the discussions against an agreement resumed, after Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged messages of admiration on social networks, followed by a call of “happy birthday” by the American president to the Indian chief on Tuesday evening.
India has kept a neutral position “for peace” in the conflict of Russia-Ukraine, even if the US officials even called it “the Modi war” because they said that the purchase of oil from India “financed the Putin war machine”.
Trump recently called the situation “more than one problem in Europe”.
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has also criticized India, but it remains under American pressure to concede the field of peace with Russia.
Putin, on the other hand, also called Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday with birthday wishes. Modi posted on X: “Thank you, my friend, president Putin, for your telephone call and your warm wishes to my 75th anniversary. We are committed to further strengthening our special and privileged strategic partnership. India is ready to make all possible contributions to a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.”
Ursula von der Leyen also wanted Modi on the day of his birthday when he was 75 years old on September 17. Modi’s post on his call said: “India is ready to take the India-Eu relationship at the next level. It is our shared commitment, our shared objective and our shared responsibility. We remain attached to an early and peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.”
(with AFP entries)
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