New Delhi: India and the European Union (EU) Tuesday took a major leap forward in their strategic ties with the signing of the Security and Defence Partnership. The agreement not only strengthens strategic cooperation between the two sides but also allows Indian defence manufacturers access to the EU’s procurement system under “ReArm Europe”.
“What the Security and Defence Partnership does it does certainly portend a strengthening and deepening of ties between India and the EU in precisely defence industry cooperation. We will look to take part in these European initiatives (ReArm Europe),” India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a special press briefing Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the point that India makes a viable alternative country for manufacturing of defence platforms, giving European companies a “bang for its buck”, he said.
“The partnership also expands cooperation in areas such as maritime security, into cyber, space awareness, space situational awareness, space security and most importantly for both sides, cooperation on counter-terrorism. It will increase defence cooperation between both sides…I think, thereby, exploring opportunities for them (Indian defence manufacturers) to benefit from these initiatives,” he added.
The two sides also agreed to launch negotiations on an information sharing agreement, thereby preparing the ground for “more sensitive cooperation” in the field of defence and security matters, Misri added.
The agreements are a part of the overall deliverables from the 16th India-EU summit held Tuesday in the national capital.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa participated in the summit, co-chaired by PM Modi. The summit also saw two sides announcing the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement, which is expected to come into force by the end of this calendar year, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said at the special briefing.
For India, the security and defence partnership is a key pillar in increasing its strategic cooperation with Europe. European countries such as France and Germany have increasingly become a pillar of India’s defence procurement network, with European companies also setting up maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) facilities in India in recent years.
“Defence and security are a foundation for any strong partnership. Today, we are making this official through a Security and Defence Partnership. This will help us work more closely on counter-terrorism, maritime security, and cybersecurity,” Prime Minister Modi said at the joint press statements earlier Tuesday.
Modi added, “This will also strengthen our shared commitment to a rules-based international order. Our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region will grow, and our defence companies will gain new opportunities to work together on co-development and co-production.”
India is the third country in Asia after Japan and the Republic of Korea signing such a partnership with the EU. Overall eight countries have signed such a partnership with the EU before India, including Moldova, the United Kingdom, Albania, Canada and North Macedonia.
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Key areas of cooperation
The key area of cooperation is the potential access of Indian firms to the “ReArm Europe” initiative launched by EU Commission President von der Leyen last March. The EUR 800-billion plan announced by the EU Commission focusses on curbing the EU’s dependence on the US, as President Donald Trump continues to recede from the European security architecture.
As a part of the overall plan, the EU announced a specific EUR 150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) that allows joint procurement of defence equipment partnering with Ukraine, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member-states and third countries with security and defence partnerships inked with the 27 member-state organisation.
Furthermore, the areas of cooperation that are set to expand under the specific India-EU security and defence partnership include maritime security, cyber issues, artificial intelligence and emerging disruptive technologies.
Other fields of cooperation are hybrid threats, resilience and protection of critical infrastructure, fighting organised crime, non-proliferation and disarmament, and training and education.
The other areas part of the partnership is space, including space security and space situational awareness. Apart from the candidate countries joining the EU – Albania and North Macedonia – India is the first developing country that Brussels has signed such an agreement with.
The agreement is signed despite the differences between New Delhi and Brussels over the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, a further indication of the intent on both sides to deepen strategic defence ties. France, for example, has emerged as one of India’s largest suppliers of defence platforms in recent years.
India is currently negotiating a submarine deal with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany to build the air independent propulsion submarines.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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