The India-EU Strategic Agenda 2030

Why in News ? On January 27, 2026, India and the European Union (EU) transitioned from a trade-focused relationship to a deep strategic and military alliance. At the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi, the two entities signed a series of landmark agreements that redefine their cooperation for the next decade.

The India-EU Strategic Agenda 2030:

This roadmap, titled “Towards 2030: A Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda,” serves as the master architecture for bilateral relations, replacing the previous 2025 roadmap. It is built upon five core pillars:

1. Prosperity & Sustainability: Centered on the historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost a €180-billion trade relationship.
2. Technology & Innovation: Focused on AI, semiconductors, and Quantum Computing via the Trade and Technology Council (TTC).
3. Security & Defence: Expanding from maritime drills to joint military production and intelligence sharing.
4. Connectivity: Prioritizing the IMEC corridor and Global Gateway projects in Africa and Central Asia.
5. Enablers (People-to-People): Facilitating skilled migration through the new European Legal Gateway Office in India.

Security and Defence Partnership (SDP):

The SDP marks the first overarching defence framework between India and the EU. It shifts the dynamic from a “buyer-seller” relationship to one of co-development and co-production.

• Defence Industry & Technology: Indian firms are now integrated into Europe’s “Rearm Initiative,” helping replenish stockpiles and modernize military capacity.
• Maritime Security: Increased cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, including the permanent placement of a Liaison Officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram.
• The “Legal Enabler”: Launch of negotiations for a Security of Information Agreement, which will allow the exchange of classified intelligence and military data.
• Counter-Terrorism: Strengthened CBI-Europol cooperation to combat cross-border terrorism and radicalization.

The “Mother of All Trade Deals” (FTA):

The conclusion of the India-EU FTA is a seismic shift in global trade, creating a combined market of nearly 2 billion people.

• Tariff Elimination: The EU will drop tariffs on 99.5% of Indian exports, while India has granted significant concessions on 97.5% of traded value.
• Key Sectors: Significant duty cuts on European cars (down to as low as 10%), wines, and spirits, while Indian textiles, leather, and pharmaceuticals gain duty-free access to Europe.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Access for Indian companies to the EU’s €150-billion SAFE program for joint R&D and secure procurement.

The Blue-Raman Digital Backbone:

The Blue-Raman submarine cable system is the digital layer of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), designed to end the “Suez bottleneck.”

Feature	Details
Route	Blue Segment: Italy to Israel; Raman Segment: Israel to India via Jordan/Saudi Arabia.
Capacity	16 fiber pairs providing 218 Tbps (upgradable to 400 Tbps).
Strategic Goal	Bypasses the Red Sea chokepoint via a terrestrial land link across Israel.
Research Link	Connects 10,000 European and 3,700 Indian research institutions for real-time AI and climate study.

Energy and Connectivity (IMEC):

The summit reaffirmed the commitment to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as a secure alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

• Green Hydrogen Task Force: A new joint body to lead the transition to sustainable fuels.
• Digital Corridors: Integration of Indian and European Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to make systems like UPI and digital IDs interoperable across borders.