India and EU Defence partnership: India and the European Union (EU) have forged a partnership in security and defence in the Indo-Pacific region. Current projects and discussions highlight how crucial this alliance is becoming to solving common security issues, especially in the marine sector.
The European Union Delegation to India hosted the “Road to Schuman” event on May 6, 2024, where stakeholders discussed the security situation in the Indo-Pacific. Title of the event: “The security environment in the Indo-Pacific region and the EU’s role as a security actor in partnership/cooperation with India”.
Director of Security and Defense Policy at the European External Action Service Joanneke Balfoort stressed how important partnerships are to preserving world peace and security. She underlined the strategic importance of India as a vital EU partner in negotiating the complexity of the Indo-Pacific.
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“We see India, a country with considerable strategic weight on the global security balance, as a key partner for the EU in the Indo-Pacific.”
According to Financial Express, in a similar vein, Hervé Delphin, the EU ambassador to India, emphasized how urgently cooperation is needed in the face of growing security risks everywhere. The EU is committed to strengthening its security and defence capabilities, which is in line with its initiatives to collaborate with other countries, such as India, to advance resilience and stability.
“The global environment has turned more volatile and unstable with war and security threats on the rise. The EU is adapting to this new reality by enhancing its own security and defence but also by working together with international partners to address common security challenges to promote peace and stability. The growing interconnectedness between dynamics in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region means that cooperation with Asian partners and most notably with India, has become more important than ever”, he said.
Growing connectivity between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region means that “cooperation with Asian partners and most notably with India has become more important than ever”, he said.
Delphin mentioned other areas as potential areas for cooperation, such as space, hybrid and cyber threats, and the security aspects of artificial intelligence, even though the EU has increased cooperation with India in maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber-security, non-proliferation, and disarmament.
Hindustan Times reported that both parties reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific, which is based on respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, rule of law, freedom of navigation, and overflight.
They also backed unhindered legitimate trade and amicable dispute resolution following international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
