EU moves ahead on security and defence partnership with India
The European Union and India have agreed to move forward with the signing of a new security and defence partnership, marking a significant step in strengthening strategic ties between the two sides amid growing global uncertainty.
Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the decision reflects a shared understanding that closer cooperation is needed to address evolving security challenges, both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. The partnership is expected to formalise collaboration in areas such as maritime security, defence dialogue, cyber threats and crisis management.
“This is about recognising that the EU and India face many of the same challenges and that we are stronger when we work together,” Kallas said, adding that the agreement would build on existing cooperation while giving it clearer structure and political momentum.
India has steadily emerged as a key strategic partner for the European Union, particularly as geopolitical tensions rise and traditional alliances are being tested. For Brussels, deepening engagement with New Delhi is seen as part of a broader effort to diversify partnerships and reinforce a rules-based international order.
The proposed security and defence partnership comes at a time when both sides are seeking greater stability in critical regions. The EU is grappling with the fallout of the war in Ukraine and wider security concerns in its neighbourhood, while India faces its own complex challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including maritime security and regional power competition.
Officials familiar with the talks said the partnership would not amount to a military alliance, but rather a framework for regular consultations, joint initiatives and information sharing. Areas under discussion include cooperation on counter-terrorism, protecting sea lanes, responding to hybrid threats and boosting resilience against cyberattacks.
Kallas stressed that the agreement respects India’s strategic autonomy, a long-held principle of New Delhi’s foreign policy, while allowing both sides to find practical ways to work together. “This is not about choosing sides,” she said.
The move also signals renewed momentum in EU-India relations more broadly. In recent years, both sides have sought to revive ties across trade, technology and climate policy, with security now emerging as a central pillar of the relationship.
While no specific date was announced for the signing, EU officials said the partnership could be finalised in the coming months, pending internal procedures on both sides. Once in place, it would represent one of the most comprehensive security frameworks the EU has agreed with a major Indo-Pacific partner, underscoring India’s growing role in global and regional security affairs.