The European Union and India are poised to take a major step forward in their strategic relationship with plans to formalise a new security and defence partnership, signalling closer cooperation at a time of shifting global geopolitical dynamics. The move was confirmed in Brussels on 21st January, 2026, Wednesday by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, who said both sides had agreed to proceed with the signing of the partnership. While the full details of the agreement have yet to be made public, officials on both sides describe it as a framework designed to strengthen strategic coordination, enhance defence dialogue and expand cooperation on shared security challenges.
The announcement comes ahead of a high-profile India–EU summit scheduled for next week in New Delhi, where the partnership is expected to be formally unveiled alongside other significant initiatives. The two sides are also likely to announce the conclusion of long-running negotiations on a free trade agreement, finalise arrangements to ease the mobility of Indian professionals to Europe, and set out a broader roadmap for future cooperation. European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to India to attend Republic Day celebrations on 26 January as chief guests, underlining the political weight Brussels is placing on the relationship. The summit with Indian leaders will follow the next day.
The EU delegation will be unusually large, comprising around 90 officials. It will include Kallas, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and several senior director generals responsible for portfolios ranging from trade and energy to industrial policy. Diplomats say the scale of the delegation reflects the breadth of issues now binding the two sides together. Trade remains a central pillar of the relationship. The European Union is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching approximately $135 billion during the 2023–24 financial year. Officials believe the proposed free trade agreement, billed as India’s most ambitious such deal to date, could significantly expand this figure by lowering tariffs, improving market access and reducing regulatory barriers.
Beyond economics, the emerging security and defence partnership is seen as a response to shared concerns over regional stability, maritime security and the protection of critical supply chains. While neither side has framed the agreement as being directed against any particular country, analysts note that growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific and the war in Ukraine have sharpened the EU’s interest in deeper engagement with like-minded partners. A joint document announcing the conclusion of the trade negotiations is expected to be adopted during the summit, alongside the security pact. Taken together, the measures mark what officials describe as a new chapter in EU–India relations, moving the partnership beyond trade into a more comprehensive strategic alignment.
