The European Union (EU) is exploring a security and defence pact with India in line with its similar partnerships with close allies Japan and South Korea.The announcement, seen as significant, was made by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen ahead of her wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In an address at a think-tank, she pitched for taking the EU-India strategic partnership to the next level to effectively deal with various geopolitical headwinds.
Security should be a core part of our new strategic partnership with India, Von der Leyen said.
“This is why I can announce that 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 said.
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,” she said.
The European Commission president said there is a lot that both India and the EU can build on.
“For instance, the recent collaboration on maritime security. And I am delighted at India’s interest in joining defence industrial projects under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation,” she said.
Von der Leyen said India is working hard to diversify its military supply and to access new capabilities and that both sides can help each other to deliver on “our security objectives”.