India-EU sign Comprehensive Security and Defence Agreement.
India-EU Defence and Security Partnership: New Delhi — India and the European Union on Tuesday signed their first comprehensive defence and security partnership, marking a significant step in deepening strategic cooperation amid shifting geopolitical realities and growing cross-regional security threats.
The India-EU Security and Defence Partnership was signed during the state visit of European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who attended India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations as chief guests at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreement was concluded alongside the announcement of the successful conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU free-trade agreement.
Described as a first-of-its-kind overarching framework, the partnership aims to expand cooperation across maritime security, the defence industry and technology, cyber and hybrid threats, space security, and counter-terrorism. Both sides said the agreement reflected growing mutual trust and a shared view of each other as reliable strategic partners.
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Ursula von der Leyen (L), António Costa (C), PM Modi (R) witness an agreement signed by Kaja Kallas (L) and S. Jaishankar (R).
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In a further move to strengthen security ties, India and the EU also launched negotiations on a “Security of Information Agreement”. Such legally binding agreements govern the exchange and protection of classified information and are considered essential for deeper cooperation in defence and security domains.
“The leaders welcomed the signing of the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership, the first such overarching defence and security framework between the two sides,” the joint statement said, adding that it would significantly deepen collaboration across multiple security-related sectors.
Acknowledging evolving geopolitical challenges, both sides committed to enhancing preparedness in areas ranging from maritime security and counter-terrorism to hybrid threats, space security and transnational crime. They also agreed to deepen crisis-management engagement and pursue “mutually beneficial defence-industry collaboration”.
The leaders also adopted the “Towards 2030: India-EU Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda”, aimed at elevating overall strategic cooperation. According to the joint statement, the agenda focuses on five key pillars: prosperity and sustainability; technology and innovation; security and defence; connectivity and global challenges; and enabling factors such as skills, mobility, business, and people-to-people ties.
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Ursula von der Leyen (L), PM Modi (C), António Costa (R). New Delhi, 27 January 2026.
The agreement comes at a time when India is seeking to strengthen its security partnerships and boost defence self-reliance, while European Union member states are ramping up defence preparedness. The European Commission’s “ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030”, unveiled in March 2025, proposes mobilising more than €800 billion in defence spending amid concerns over Russian aggression and growing uncertainty about long-term US security commitments.
Europe’s increased defence focus has already benefited Indian defence manufacturers, particularly in the munitions sector. Executives from Indian firms say several European countries have recently signed letters of intent, prompting companies to expand production capacity to meet rising demand.
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