EU exploring a Security and Defence Partnership with India
| 2025-02-28
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen meet in New Delhi on February 28, 2025.
PM Modi describes the growing cooperation between India and the EU on issues related to defence and security as a symbol of mutual trust.
Signalling the intent to take the EU-India Strategic Partnership to the next level, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen has announced the possibility of a Security and Defence Partnership with India.
“We are exploring a future Security and Defence Partnership with India in the mould of the partnerships we have with Japan and South Korea,” she stated during her address at an event organised by a think tank in New Delhi on Friday (February 28, 2025).
“This will help us step up our work to counter common threats whether on cross-border terrorism, maritime security threats, cyber-attacks or the new phenomenon we see: attacks on our critical infrastructure,” explained Ursula Von Der Leyen, who is visiting India with the European Union College of Commissioners.
This also found an echo in the Leaders' Statement issued after a meeting between the visiting European Commission President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which said they committed to explore a security and defence partnership.
The European Commission President also highlighted India's interest in joining defence industrial projects under the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation. “India is working hard to diversify its military supply and to access new capabilities. And I believe we can help each other to deliver on our security objectives,” she said.
In this context, she referred to collaboration in areas like cyber security, space and drones. “This is not only about stability in our respective regions. But it is also a key part in strengthening our economic security and ultimately our prosperity. And this is why security should be a core part of our new strategic partnership with India,” she explained.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his part, described the growing cooperation between India and the EU on issues related to defence and security as a symbol of mutual trust.
“We will take forward our cooperation on Cyber Security, Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism,” he said at the joint press conference with the European Commission President after their meeting.
Earlier, in his remarks at the Plenary Session, Prime Minister Modi said India and the EU can fulfil each others’ needs through co-development and co-production. “We must work to prioritise each other in export control laws,” he noted.
Speaking about security, he stated, “There is a need for greater cooperation on challenges arising from terrorism, extremism, maritime security, cyber security and space security”.
According to a statement issued after their meeting, Prime Minister Modi and President Ursula von der Leyen expressed satisfaction at growing cooperation in the defence and security domain, including joint exercises and collaboration between the Indian Navy and EU Maritime security entities.
The European Commission President's visit is politically significant as it comes at a time where there is a churn in Europe due to the war in Ukraine. This was reflected in her address at the New Delhi event as she said, “Wars, conflicts and coups have erupted in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, in Africa and across different regions. And what happens in one part of the world matters to both Europe and India. Even if we sit far apart on the map. Because peace, security and prosperity are indivisible in this world”.
This is President Ursula von der Leyen’s third visit to India. She has earlier visited India for a bilateral official visit in April 2022, and to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September 2023. Prime Minister Modi and President Ursula von der Leyen have also met regularly on the sidelines of multilateral meetings.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this is the first-ever visit of the EU College of Commissioners together to India and among the first such visits since the start of the mandate of the current European Commission in December 2024 after the European parliamentary elections held in June 2024.
“We are exploring a future Security and Defence Partnership with India in the mould of the partnerships we have with Japan and South Korea,” she stated during her address at an event organised by a think tank in New Delhi on Friday (February 28, 2025).
“This will help us step up our work to counter common threats whether on cross-border terrorism, maritime security threats, cyber-attacks or the new phenomenon we see: attacks on our critical infrastructure,” explained Ursula Von Der Leyen, who is visiting India with the European Union College of Commissioners.
This also found an echo in the Leaders' Statement issued after a meeting between the visiting European Commission President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which said they committed to explore a security and defence partnership.
The European Commission President also highlighted India's interest in joining defence industrial projects under the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation. “India is working hard to diversify its military supply and to access new capabilities. And I believe we can help each other to deliver on our security objectives,” she said.
In this context, she referred to collaboration in areas like cyber security, space and drones. “This is not only about stability in our respective regions. But it is also a key part in strengthening our economic security and ultimately our prosperity. And this is why security should be a core part of our new strategic partnership with India,” she explained.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his part, described the growing cooperation between India and the EU on issues related to defence and security as a symbol of mutual trust.
“We will take forward our cooperation on Cyber Security, Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism,” he said at the joint press conference with the European Commission President after their meeting.
Earlier, in his remarks at the Plenary Session, Prime Minister Modi said India and the EU can fulfil each others’ needs through co-development and co-production. “We must work to prioritise each other in export control laws,” he noted.
Speaking about security, he stated, “There is a need for greater cooperation on challenges arising from terrorism, extremism, maritime security, cyber security and space security”.
According to a statement issued after their meeting, Prime Minister Modi and President Ursula von der Leyen expressed satisfaction at growing cooperation in the defence and security domain, including joint exercises and collaboration between the Indian Navy and EU Maritime security entities.
The European Commission President's visit is politically significant as it comes at a time where there is a churn in Europe due to the war in Ukraine. This was reflected in her address at the New Delhi event as she said, “Wars, conflicts and coups have erupted in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, in Africa and across different regions. And what happens in one part of the world matters to both Europe and India. Even if we sit far apart on the map. Because peace, security and prosperity are indivisible in this world”.
This is President Ursula von der Leyen’s third visit to India. She has earlier visited India for a bilateral official visit in April 2022, and to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September 2023. Prime Minister Modi and President Ursula von der Leyen have also met regularly on the sidelines of multilateral meetings.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this is the first-ever visit of the EU College of Commissioners together to India and among the first such visits since the start of the mandate of the current European Commission in December 2024 after the European parliamentary elections held in June 2024.
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