Decoupling India from Russia will be a challenge for the European Union (EU) even as it seeks to build an economic partnership with the South Asian country, High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday.
Her comments come after the bloc unveiled “a new strategic agenda to raise bilateral relations with India to a higher level,” which includes areas such as trade and technology, defense and security, as well as connectivity and climate change.
Brussels and New Delhi are also in the midst of negotiating a free trade agreement.
”The discussions we also had was whether it is possible to completely decouple India from Russia, considering their history as well,” Kallas said in a briefing. “I do not think we have illusions regarding this. The problems we have between ourselves in the relationship are very clear, and we are trying to address them in the negotiations as we speak.”
She added that if both parties did not reach a mutually agreeable solution to their positions on Russia and Ukraine, then no agreement would be reached.
Kallas also told reporters that India’s recent participation in the Zapad-2025 military exercises with Moscow and Minsk “is a great concern”.
“If you want closer ties with us, then why participate in exercises that are existential threats to us,” she said. “So, to be very clear on this message. We are not taking this lightly.”
The bloc’s top diplomat called on Brussels and New Delhi to work together to defend the international rules-based order.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I took the liberty of congratulating our friend, the Prime Minister of India, on his 75th birthday on behalf of you and everyone, and I would like to convey his best wishes to the entire Russian leadership,” Putin told government officials.
Modi thanked Putin on X for the call and said India is committed to “further strengthening” its “special and privileged strategic partnership” with Russia, adding that New Delhi was “ready to make all possible contributions towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
