India EU relations PSIR current affairs

PSIR daily current affairs

December 31, 2025 Deepak Dalal

PSIR 24^th December 2025

Topic : India EU relations

PYQs linkage:

“EU-India relations have a long way to go before they can purposely be termed strategic.” Discuss. 10 (2014) (Area of cooperation)
Explain Britain’s ouster from EU and bring out its consequences on world economy in general and India in particular. 20(2016)
Explain India’s relations with the European Union in the context of Brexit. 15(2021) (The question was asked in paper 2 part 1 of the paper) (Area of cooperation)
The tariff threats have pushed India and the European Union closer. Evaluate the India-EU partnership. 15(2025) (Areas of cooperation)
India maintains strong ties with countries that will assure a free and open Indo-Pacific and guarantee greater connectivity with rest of the world. Analyze. 15(2025) (areas of cooperation)

Security community: (Karl Deutsch): a high degree of transnational ties between societies lead to peaceful relations.

Greater interdependence in the form of transnational ties between countries could lead to peace.
Cooperation should be arranged by technical experts
Experts would devise solutions to common problems in various functional areas such as communication, finance etc.
When participants realize the mutual benefits form such effort, technical and economic collaboration would expand.
In this manner, economic interdependence would lead to political integration and to peace.

“Cooperation on critical emerging technologies will bring tangible benefits to both.”

‘all weather friend’, old and established global alignments, sustainable maritime connectivity, global stability and democratic values, regional stability, global connectivity, people-to-people contact.

In 2024, bilateral trade in goods reached EUR 120 billion, trade in services EUR 60 billion.
Around 6000 European companies operate in India, employing 3 million people
EU foreign direct investment reached EUR 140 billion in 2023
In 2021, both concluded the EU-India Connectivity Partnership.l
India accounts for less than 2.5% of EU’s trade in goods and services
Indian investment in the EU around EUR 10 billion
In 2023, 8,25,000 Indian citizens lived in EU, the largest group receiving EU Blue Cards and intra-corporate transfer permits.

EU is India’s largest trading parter
India is the EU’s largest trading partner in the Global south.
FTA, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers is going to unlock major trade and investment flows
EU and India are working towards an investment protection agreement, a bilateral macroeconomic dialogue, an agreement of Geographical Indications and a comprehensive air transport agreement.

Leveraging EU’s Global Gateway, India’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for security and Growth) and EU-India connectivity partnership, both are well positioned to cooperate on strengthening connectivity between Europe and India, unlocking new commercial opportunity for both sides.
India- Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project seeks to revive historical Eurasian trade routes by integrating maritime, rail, digital, energy, and clean hydrogen infrastructure.
EU is advancing the EU-Africa-India Digital corridor (within IMEC framework), including the 11,7000 Blue Raman submarine cable system connecting Europe to India. This will provide ultrahigh-speed, secure, and resilient data connectivity.
EU and India are collaborating to develop Green Shipping Corridors, which will strengthen sustainable maritime connectivity and reduce dependency on carbon-intensive routes.

EU proposes setting up a number of EU-India Innovation Hubs: dedicated platforms on key technologies bringing together policy makers, industry leaders, startups, investors, and experts to identify shared priorities and catalyze innovation. (Functionalism, building peace by pieces)
EU also proposed an EU-India startup Partnership, in collaboration with European Innovation Council, Start-up India, and member countries.
Both are working towards robust measures to prevent the unauthorized transfer or misuse of sensitive technologies, ensuring their responsible utilization in support of global stability and democratic values. (Democratic peace theory)
Euratom-India agreement for research and development to promote collaboration on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, radioactive waste management, nuclear security, and nuclear fusion.

Regular thematic dialogues to address themes of maritime security, cyber security, counterterrorism, and non-proliferation.
Creation of an EU-India Security and Defence partnership is being explored
The EU’s increasing strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific—especially it support for regional parters in comprehensive security areas—aligns closely with India’s role as a key pillar of regional stability.
Working towards combating terror, terror fianancing, online propaganda, and the security risks posed by emerging technologies.
EU is committed to further strengthening counterterrorism cooperation through capacity-building efforts, joint projects and law-enforcement partnerships.
Increased cooperation between the EU’s and India’s defence industries can help strengthen respective production and technological capabilities, bolster the security of supply chains, and stimulate innovation.

Both partners aim to manage migration sensibly: tackling illegal flows while supporting balanced talent mobility that serves India’s development priorities and the EU’s economic needs.
Both are looking towards expanding exchanges of students, academics and researchers.