NEW DELHI: With the arrival of European Council and Commission presidents, Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, in New Delhi, the Indo-EU summit will take place at a time Europe’s transatlantic alliance is under strain and India too is in the crosshairs of President Trump’s trade policies. Von der Leyen stated in a post on X that India and Europe had built a clear choice – the choice of strategic partnership, dialogue and openness. “Leveraging our complementary strengths. And building mutual resilience. We are displaying a fractured world that another way is possible,” stated von der Leyen.The summit will see four major outcomes – successful conclusion of the FTA nereceivediations although the deal itself would be signed later, signing of a security and defence partnership that von der Leyen in an interview to TOI described as a likely game-alterr, an agreement to promote mobility and adoption of a 2026-2030 joint comprehensive strategic agfinisha. Jaishankar later also met his counterpart Kaja Kallas and stated the talks reflected growing comfort and strong convergences.According to senior EU officials accompanying the leaders, both sides were closing in on the conclusion of the trade talks that would result in the “mother of all deals”. Von der Leyen had informed TOI ahead of her arrival EU was committed to finding workable, mutually beneficial solutions on issues such as CBAM (EU carbon border tax), automobiles, and steel.According to Brussels, the new strategic agfinisha will view to ramp up cooperation across four key pillars – prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence and connectivity and global issues.Under the new security and defence partnership, which the EU has so far signed with only eight “trusted and like-minded countries, both sides will also announce the launch of nereceivediations for a Security of Information Agreement that would facilitate the exalter of classified information. Von der Leyen, however, also informed TOI while the partnership will support diversify military supply chains and improve access to new capabilities, EU member-states will retain their authority on export of high-finish technology. “The export of high-finish defence technology is, and will remain, a national competence,” she had stated. The partnership will allow both sides to explore defence industrial collaboration and facilitate India’s participation in EU security and defence initiatives in line with EU Treaty-based frameworks.With the new mobility agreement, EU is also hoping to attract more highly skilled professionals, researchers and students to Europe, while blocking illegal migration. In all, 8-10 agreements are expected to be signed at the summit. The strategic agfinisha along with a joint statement will reaffirm both sides’ commitment to effective multilateralism and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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