New Delhi witnessed a pivotal meeting on Tuesday when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted Kaja Kallas, the European Commission’s High Representative and Vice-President, at the South Block headquarters. Accompanied by the chiefs of India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force, the discussions centered on deepening security and defense cooperation between India and the European Union.
Singh emphasized the shared values of democracy, pluralism, and rule of law that underpin the growing partnership. He highlighted India’s intent to translate these into tangible collaboration for global stability, sustainable development, and inclusive prosperity. The talks delved into building a reliable defense ecosystem, integrating supply chains, and developing future-ready capabilities.
Post-meeting, Singh expressed delight at the engagement, noting in-depth exchanges on bilateral security issues. Experts view this as a step toward vast potential in India-EU defense collaboration, crucial for global security. Key attendees included Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
Singh urged coordination between Indian and EU defense industries for global benefit, aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat and EU strategic autonomy. Kallas thanked India for her Republic Day participation, praising the EU presence in the Kartavya Path parade. She advocated joint efforts in the Indian Ocean Region, including exercises to share best practices.
Singh welcomed the proposal for an EU liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram. This move would enhance coordination on anti-piracy operations and emerging threats. The agenda also covered regional security, defense production, tech cooperation, and joint strategies against future challenges.
This comes amid heightened EU-India ties, with EU leaders as Republic Day chief guests and an EU military contingent led by Colonel Frederick Simon Spruijt in the parade. Such interactions signal a robust future for strategic partnership.