EAM Dr S Jaishankar says India-EU partnership gaining strong momentum

The India-EU partnership has evolved into one of the most significant strategic relationships for India in the 21st century, and the recent remarks by External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar ahead of the 3rd India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting underscore this deepening alignment. To understand the current momentum, we must trace the historical trajectory: India and the European Union (then European Economic Community) established diplomatic relations in 1962, but the relationship remained largely trade-centric for decades. The turning point came with the first India-EU Summit in 2000, which elevated the engagement to a strategic partnership. The 2020 India-EU Summit, held virtually due to the pandemic, marked a qualitative leap — both sides agreed to resume negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after an eight-year hiatus, alongside separate agreements on investment protection and geographical indications (GIs). The Trade and Technology Council (TTC), launched in April 2022 during European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's visit to New Delhi, is a first-of-its-kind mechanism for India with any partner and only the second such council the EU has established (the first being with the US). It operates through three working groups: (i) Working Group on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity; (ii) Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technologies; and (iii) Working Group on Trade, Investment and Resilient Value Chains. This institutional architecture reflects a shift from transactional trade to structural cooperation in trusted technology, supply chain resilience, and digital governance — areas critical for India's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" vision and its aspirations to become a global technology hub. The proposed FTA remains the economic centerpiece. As of 2024, the EU is India's third-largest trading partner (after the US and China), with bilateral trade in goods reaching €124 billion in 2023 and services trade at €52 billion (2022). The FTA negotiations, relaunched in June 2022, aim to address tariff barriers, non-tariff measures, services market access, and sustainable development clauses. For India, securing better market access for pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather, and agricultural products — while protecting sensitive sectors like dairy and automobiles — is crucial. The FTA also aligns with India's "Act East" and "Neighbourhood First" policies by enhancing connectivity with Europe through initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the 2023 G20 Summit. On the security front, the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership, formalized through the 2023 Joint Declaration, enables cooperation in maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and crisis management. India's participation in EU naval operations (like Operation Atalanta) and joint exercises (such as the 2023 maiden India-EU naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea) signal growing strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific. This is particularly significant given China's assertiveness — both India and the EU share concerns over a rules-based order, freedom of navigation, and debt-trap diplomacy. The Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement (MMPA), signed in 2021 and operationalized in 2022, addresses skilled labour mobility, student exchanges, and readmission of irregular migrants. With India's demographic dividend and Europe's ageing population, this framework is a win-win — facilitating talent flow while combating illegal migration. Constitutionally, Article 246 read with the Seventh Schedule (Union List, Entries 10, 14, 53) empowers the Centre to conduct foreign affairs and enter into treaties. The Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, and the Customs Act, 1962, provide the legislative backbone for FTA implementation. Moreover, the partnership reinforces India's commitment to multilateralism — a core tenet of Article 51 (Directive Principles) which urges the State to promote international peace and security. Looking ahead, the 3rd TTC meeting (expected in early 2025) will likely focus on standard-setting in emerging technologies (AI, 6G, semiconductors), green hydrogen cooperation, and resilient supply chains — areas where India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and the EU's Chips Act and Green Deal Industrial Plan can synergize. A successful FTA conclusion by 2025 would be a landmark, potentially adding $100+ billion to bilateral trade. For aspirants, this relationship exemplifies how economic diplomacy, technology sovereignty, and strategic alignment converge in contemporary Indian foreign policy — a recurring theme in UPSC GS Paper II and International Relations.