INTRO: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and EU VP Kaja Kallas discuss deepening India-EU defence ties, supply chain integration, and joint cooperation in the Indian Ocean for global security and prosperity

New Delhi

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday urged India and EU defence industries to work together to promote global security and stability. During a meeting with European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas in New Delhi, the leaders discussed multiple aspects of bilateral defence and security cooperation.

Singh highlighted that shared democratic values, pluralism, and the rule of law form the foundation of India-EU partnership. He said joint efforts will support India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision while aligning with the EU’s strategic autonomy. The integration of defence supply chains will help build trusted ecosystems and future-ready capabilities. Singh also noted India’s potential role in the EU’s ‘ReArm initiative’ as the bloc seeks to diversify suppliers and reduce dependencies.

Kallas welcomed India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations and emphasized collaboration in the Indian Ocean Region through joint exercises and best-practice sharing. Both leaders discussed placing an EU Liaison Officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram to strengthen operational coordination, counter-piracy, and threat assessment. Singh and Kallas also agreed to deepen cooperation through multilateral forums and highlighted the recently signed Security and Defence Partnership as a milestone for further collaboration. Both sides expressed optimism about long-term strategic an