India and EU bolster security and defence cooperation

NEW DELHI — India and the European Union (EU) on Friday vowed to increase cooperation across diverse sectors, particularly in the areas of security and defence. 

Both sides expressed satisfaction over the increasing high level political engagements and regular sectoral interactions as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the members of the visiting Political and Security Committee (PSC) of the Council of the European Union in New Delhi, on Friday.

The 30 member PSC delegation, on its first-ever visit to Asia, was led by Delphine Pronk, Chair of the Committee, and included PSC Ambassadors of EU Member States along with officials from the European Commission and the European External Action Service.

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On the Indian side, Foreign Secretary Misri was joined at the meeting by Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) Sibi George, and other senior officials.

"The discussions focused on advancing India–EU cooperation across diverse sectors, particularly in the areas of security and defence. Both sides reiterated their commitment towards an early conclusion of India-EU Security and Defence Partnership and Security of Information Agreement. They also looked forward to the India-EU FTA, with the leaders having tasked the respective negotiating teams to conclude the deal by end of the year. Further, they also exchanged perspectives on latest regional and global developments," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after the meeting.

During their two-day working visit to India, the PSC members also met with the Defence Secretary, received a briefing on the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), and interacted with representatives of Indian defence industry.

"The EU PSC visit builds on the momentum following the landmark visit of EU College of Commissioners to India in February 2025 and reflects the joint commitment towards a deeper India–EU Strategic Partnership," the MEA statement added.

There are regular exchanges between India and the EU on security and defence matters through the extensive bilateral dialogue architecture, including in the areas of security and defence, maritime security, cyber, and counter-terrorism. Both sides are also exploring avenues for enhanced cooperation in defence industry and manufacturing.

On September 9, India and the European Union (EU) had held their 15th Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism (CT) in Brussels, reiterating their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. The two sides agreed that terrorism is a global phenomenon and requires concerted action in a sustained and comprehensive manner.

Director for Security and Defence Policy in the European External Action Service, Maciej Stadejek and Joint Secretary (Counter-terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs K D Dewal co-chaired the dialogue. Both sides also condemned the heinous terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam with the EU reiterating its condolences to India for the murder of innocent civilians.

"Against this backdrop, the EU and India stressed the importance of cooperation in multilateral fora, such as the United Nations, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and the FATF. The dialogue facilitated a comprehensive exchange on domestic, regional, and global threat assessments. The participants emphasized that instability and conflicts in various regions of the world act as catalysts for terrorism and violent extremism," the MEA stated.

During the Dialogue, the EU and India shared updates regarding the key developments of their respective counter-terrorism policies and discussed important topics in the fight against terrorism. These include measures to counter terror financing, prevent online radicalisation, continued exchange on designation of terrorists and terrorist entities and addressing the implications of emerging technologies.

"The EU and India also shared updates on the key developments of their respective counter-terrorism policies and discussed important topics in the fight against terrorism. These include measures to counter the financing of terrorism, prevent online radicalization, continued exchange on designation of terrorists and terrorist entities and address the implications of emerging technologies," the EU emphasised in a statement after the meeting.