India and EU to Hold First Ministerial Strategic Foreign Policy Dialogue

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] December 10 : India and the European Union (EU) have agreed to hold their first ministerial Strategic Foreign Policy Dialogue as part of preparations for the India-EU Summit scheduled for 2025. The decision was reached during a phone conversation between India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Kaja Kallas, the EU’s new high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. 

Strengthening India-EU Cooperation

During the discussion, Jaishankar and Kallas emphasized mutual priorities in global security, trade, and regional stability. Highlighting the Indo-Pacific region and Europe’s security concerns, they agreed to focus on interconnected global challenges. “Global security challenges are interconnected. We will focus together to make progress on security, trade, digital and green transition,” Kallas noted on X after the call.

Kallas Takes Over as EU Foreign Policy Chief

Kaja Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister, began her tenure as the EU foreign policy chief on December 1, replacing Josep Borrell. This marked the first direct interaction between Kallas and Jaishankar, who had earlier congratulated her on her new role. In his post on X, Jaishankar expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Delighted to speak with @kajakallas... Look forward to an early meeting.”

A Broader Dialogue for Strategic Goals

The upcoming dialogue will address India’s efforts for a free and open Indo-Pacific, including derisking supply and value chains, maritime security in the Indian Ocean, and Europe’s focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It will provide a platform to advance cooperation on foreign policy and security issues, previously discussed at the level of senior diplomats.

Preparations for 2025 India-EU Summit

This high-level engagement aligns with ongoing measures to prepare substantive outcomes and deliverables for the 2025 India-EU Summit. EU ambassador Hervé Delphin reaffirmed the commitment, stating, “The two sides are committed to advance cooperation on a range of foreign policy and security issues of mutual interest.”

Towards a Stronger Partnership

The Strategic Foreign Policy Dialogue reflects the growing importance of the India-EU partnership in addressing shared challenges and priorities. With a broad focus on trade, digital transition, and regional security, this initiative is poised to enhance strategic ties between the two sides.