SOURCE: AFI
In a significant endorsement of India’s growing defence capabilities, Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, has highlighted the critical role India can play in strengthening the European Union’s (EU) defence industry supply chains. Speaking to The Economic Times during a high-level visit to India on February 28, 2025, Kubilius emphasized that as European nations strive to expand and modernize their defence infrastructure to counter emerging and future threats, India’s robust defence industry offers a strategic partnership opportunity.
“India, with its robust defence industry, can play a critical role in the European Union’s defence industry supply chains as European nations seek to expand and modernize their defence industry to meet emerging and future threats,” Kubilius told ET. His remarks come at a time when the EU is grappling with the need to enhance its defence preparedness amid a shifting global security landscape, including Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine and rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Free Trade Agreement: A Catalyst for Defence Partnership
Kubilius underscored that the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the EU, currently under negotiation, could serve as a cornerstone for deepening defence collaboration. “The proposed FTA, when concluded, will also help to enhance the defence partnership. The EU needs to modernize and strengthen its defence industry for defence preparedness. The Indian defence industry can play a key role in defence industry supply chains,” he said.
Negotiations for the India-EU FTA, resumed in 2022, are set to accelerate with the next round scheduled for March 10–14, 2025, in Brussels. The agreement, if finalized, promises to be one of the largest of its kind globally, fostering not only economic ties but also strategic cooperation. Kubilius’s comments align with the EU’s broader vision, articulated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to New Delhi on the same day, to conclude the FTA within 2025—a goal she reiterated in an address to a think tank, pledging her “full commitment” to the timeline.
For the EU, integrating India into its defence supply chains could address vulnerabilities exposed by recent global disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. India’s burgeoning defence sector—spanning public sector giants like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and private players like Tata Advanced Systems and SSS Defence—offers a reliable partner capable of co-production, technology sharing, and supplying critical components.
Beyond economic ties, the EU is exploring a formal defence and security pact with India, modeled on existing agreements with Japan and South Korea. “The EU is exploring a defence and security pact with India on the lines of the pacts that the EU has signed with Japan and South Korea,” Kubilius revealed. This proposed pact would encompass joint military exercises, maritime security initiatives, and cybersecurity cooperation—areas of mutual interest given the shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Kubilius’s visit, as part of the EU’s College of Commissioners delegation led by von der Leyen, underscored this strategic intent. On Friday, he met with India’s Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, in New Delhi. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral defence ties, with a particular emphasis on maritime security and intelligence sharing in the Indo-Pacific—a region critical to both India and the EU due to its economic significance and rising geopolitical tensions.
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