Rajnath signs security partnership with European Commission VP, talks on integrating defence supply chain

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday signed a security and defence partnership agreement with European Commission Vice-President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, stressing that he is looking forward to “greater cooperation” between India and the EU countries.

With the signing of the deal, India becomes the third Asian country to have such a deal with the EU after Japan and South Korea.During the signing of the defence pact, Rajnath along with the three service chiefs met the EU delegation led by Kallas and held delegation-level talks here.While tailored to each partner country's specific priorities, the partnerships cover a broad spectrum of cooperation areas. These include peacebuilding, conflict prevention and crisis management, as well as defence initiatives and capability development.

“The partnership enables closer cooperation and joint initiatives on shared priorities such as maritime security, non-proliferation and disarmament, space, countering cyber and hybrid threats, and counterterrorism.

Under this partnership, the EU and India strengthen defence industrial cooperation and advance alignment on defence initiatives,” a European Commission statement said.India, EU also discussed integrating defence supply chains.

In a post on X, Rajnath said, “Delighted to meet Vice President (HRVP) of the European Union Ms. Kaja Kallas in New Delhi today. Discussed a range of bilateral security and defence issues including opportunities for integrating supply chains for building trusted defence ecosystems and future-ready capabilities. Looking forward to greater cooperation between India and the EU countries.

”Kaja Kallas urged deepening ties across multilateral fora.

"The signing of the Security and Defence Partnership is a milestone, and we can build on that. There is so much more we can work together on in the multilateral fora, as well as bilaterally, to further develop defence cooperation. I really look forward to our discussions today and further cooperation in the future," she said.Appreciating the Republic Day celebrations, she said, “Thank you very much for welcoming us and yesterday, Republic Day was quite an experience.

Thank you for that as well...It was a proud moment to see that our operations were also a part of this parade. It shows how we have been able to work together."According to the European Union, the Security and Defence Partnerships form a key pillar of the EU's efforts to promote peace and security both in Europe and globally, serving as a new framework to deepen bilateral relations with non-EU countries in a mutually beneficial manner. According to the European Union, partnerships are a cornerstone of the EU's Strategic Compass, adopted in March 2022, which outlines the bloc's approach to security and defence in a rapidly evolving global environment. Through the Strategic Compass, the EU committed to engaging more consistently and comprehensively with its bilateral partners and to developing tailored partnerships based on shared values and interests.