New Delhi: Taking a dig at the European Union’s (EU’s) criticism of India for its participation in Zapad-2025, the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said Friday that even NATO member states including the US, Turkey and Hungary took part in the Russian-Belarussian joint military exercise.
“As regards the objectives and details of our participation in the ZAPAD exercise in Russia, I would refer you to the Ministry of Defence press release dated 09 September 2025. I would also like to point out that several other countries, including NATO members, such as the US, Turkiye and Hungary, are also participating in the exercise as observers,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his weekly press conference.
The previous day, Kaja Kallas, former Estonian Prime Minister and now the vice president of the European Commission—governing branch of EU—had criticised India’s participation in Zapad-2025 and its purchase of Russian crude amid the war in Ukraine. “Ultimately, our partnership is not only about trade, but also about defending the rules-based international order,” said Kallas, while announcing the bloc’s new strategy to strengthen EU-India ties.
The EU diplomat, who surprisingly said the EU has a “carrot-and-stick” approach to its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with India, added: “Participating in military exercises, purchases of oil—all these are obstacles to our cooperation when it comes to deepening the ties”.
Kallas is also the EU High Representative for common foreign affairs and security policy.
New Delhi is currently the second-largest buyer of Russian crude after Beijing. Evidently, data from the Indian commerce ministry shows Europe has been the among top destinations for India’s export of petroleum products since 2023.
An Indian contingent comprising 57 Indian Army personnel along with seven personnel from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and one from the Indian Navy participated in the multilateral joint military exercise Zapad-2025 held from 10 to 16 September.
The Army contingent was led by a battalion of the Kumaon Regiment.
The defence ministry had earlier in September issued a statement saying the exercise is “aimed at enhancing military cooperation, improving interoperability, and providing a platform for participating armies to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures in the domains of conventional warfare and counter-terrorism operations”.
US military officers, reported Reuters, observed the war games between Moscow and Minsk for the first time Monday since the Kremlin used Belarus as a launchpad to enter Ukraine.
The presence of US officers, less than a week after neighbouring Poland shot down Russian drones that crossed into its airspace, is the latest sign that Washington DC, too, is looking to improve ties with Belarus.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
Also Read: Brussels’ balancing and hedging is a new strategic opportunity for India-EU ties