By N. C. Bipindra

New Delhi: India and European Union signed a key defence and security agreement on January 27, 2026, deciding to work jointly on counter-terrorism, deepen Indo-Pacific regional strategy, and enhance co-development of military systems.

Concluded at the India-EU summit meeting held in New Delhi, the announcement was read as a joint intent to counter growing aggressive Chinese position in the region and to manage the uncertainties caused by US President Donald Trump regarding American ties with Europe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the summit meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, who were the chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day parade on January 26.

The deal with India was EU’s third agreement with nations in Asia. EU had previously signed such an agreement with Japan and South Korea in the continent.

“Defence and security are a foundation for any strong partnership. Today, we are making this oicial through a security and defence partnership,” Modi said after the agreement was signed.

“This will help us work more closely on counter-terrorism, maritime security, and cybersecurity. It will also strengthen our shared commitment to a rulesbased international order,” Modi said in his media statement.

“Our cooperation in the Indo-Pacic region will grow, and our defence companies will gain new opportunities to work together on co-development and co-production,” he added.

The agreement is expected to increase interoperability among the armed forces of India and European nations, apart from providing opportunities for Indian defence firms to join the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, according to Indian officials.

SAFE is the EU’s Euro 150 billion financial instrument designed to provide funding support to member states to speed up defence readiness.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, at a media brieng after the summit, highlighted the key aspects of the defence and security agreement.

“While we have defence and security partnerships with several individual EU member states, this framework agreement on security and defence issues will be a first.

“It will bolster our engagements in maritime security, defence industry, and cyberspace,” he said.

During the leaders meeting, the two sides also launched their talks for an agreement on information security to facilitate exchange of classified information that could enable deeper cooperation on defence and security.

The leaders of India and EU also strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms, particularly the cross-border terrorism in the South Asian region, an euphemism for Pakistan.

They called for “decisive and concerted international efforts” to combat terrorism in a “comprehensive and sustained” manner, the joint statement, issued after the summit meeting, said.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation to counter radicalisation and violent extremism, combat financing of terrorism, prevent exploitatino of new and emerging technologies by terrorists, and to battle terror recruitment.

The leaders condemned the Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025 in Jammu and Kashmir and the Red Fort blasts in Delhi in November 2025.

Underscoring the importance of close cooperation on regional and global security matters, the two sides acknowledged the security and prosperity of Europe and the Indo- Pacic were interconnected.

India and the EU also carried out a comprehensive review of the situation in the Indo-Pacic. “The two sides reiterated their shared commitment to promoting a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo- Pacic, in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), recognising their respective roles and engagement in the region,” the statement said.

On Ukraine, the two sides expressed concern over the ongoing war, which continues to “cause immense human suering and carries global consequences”, it said.

“Both sides will continue to support efforts towards the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy, based on the principles of the UN Charter and of international law, including independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it added.

The leaders also noted the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution welcoming the establishment of the ‘Board of Peace’ and a stabilisation force as a step forward to ending the Gaza conflict.

“They encouraged all parties to implement the resolution in its entirety, in line with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement said.

“They also called for a just and lasting solution, based on the implementation of the two-State solution, through dialogue and diplomacy,” it said.

India and the EU also welcomed advances in the India- Middle East- Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and looked forward to the rst ministerial meeting.

“The two sides will implement trilateral cooperation projects under the India-EU Administrative Arrangement on Trilateral Cooperation, in areas such as energy, climate resilience, green mobility, and digitalisation,” the joint statement said.

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