In a significant move to strengthen bilateral ties, the European Commission has outlined ambitious plans to deepen cooperation with India across multiple sectors, including defense, technology, and trade. This initiative comes despite ongoing tensions over India’s close relationship with Russia, particularly in light of increased Russian oil purchases by New Delhi following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Union and India are now in the final stages of negotiating a free trade agreement, with both parties aiming to conclude the deal by the end of 2025. The negotiations, which were relaunched in 2022, have gained momentum following the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose tariff policies have prompted both the EU and India to seek new alliances. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged the existence of ‘clear areas of disagreement’ but emphasized the bloc’s commitment to avoiding pushing India further into Russia’s sphere of influence. The EU’s vision document released on September 17 highlights plans for collaboration on investment protection, air transport, supply chain security, green hydrogen, decarbonization of heavy industry, and research and innovation. Additionally, the EU envisions a defense and security partnership with India, similar to those already established with Japan and South Korea, and joint projects in third countries, particularly in Africa and South Asia. Despite geopolitical complexities, the EU views India as a key partner in upholding the rules-based multilateral order and anticipates benefiting from India’s projected rise to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030.