Working with EU on defence, security partnership: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs today said India and the European Union were negotiating to conclude a security and defence partnership.

This comes just days after the EU, in a joint communication from Brussels, signalled that it wanted a deeper engagement with India on military industrial cooperation and a partnership on security and defence.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a weekly briefing said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had received a telephone call from the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on September 17. They reaffirmed a commitment for a conclusion of the India-EU FTA negotiations and defence and security partnership.

The same day, the European Commission and the EU High Representative announced a joint communication outlining a new strategic agenda to elevate the India-EU partnership to a higher level, building on the visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India earlier this year. A closer EU-India cooperation in security and defence is key outcome of the joint communication that said “the two sides are now exploring the creation of an ‘EU-India security and defence partnership’.”

The two sides are also launching negotiations on “security of information agreement” that will facilitate exchange of classified information in the field of security and defence. The EU also wants more operational exercises with Indian Navy to facilitate greater information sharing and cooperation in the Indian Ocean. Another facet is defence industrial cooperation between the EU and Indian defence industries — in line with shared security priorities. The joint communication says the EU’s expertise in defence research, development and manufacturing can support India in strengthening its defence industrial base and in diversifying reliable supply chains.