Europe pushes partnership with India despite rift on Ukraine war
The EU has called for closer ties with India, while admitting there was no “mutual understanding” with Narendra Modi’s government over Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and lead negotiator on trade, Maroš Šefčovič, outlined an EU-India strategy on Wednesday as part of Europe’s drive to build and strengthen alliances in a world shaken by Donald Trump’s challenges to the postwar order.
But they did not attempt to hide differences with New Delhi, after Indian forces took part this week in Russia’s Zapad (western) military exercises in Belarus that simulated a war with NATO countries.
Kallas, who is from Estonia, one of the EU’s frontline states which is seen as vulnerable to a Russian attack, said: “This is a great concern for our countries. I mean if you want closer ties with us then why participate in exercises that are an existential threat to us?”
She said there were “clear areas of disagreement” that were obstacles to deeper cooperation, but Europe did not want to push India into “Russia’s corner”.
Commenting on India’s purchases of Russian oil and military exercise participation, Kallas added: “We will definitely always raise these questions and currently we don’t have a mutual understanding here.”
The European Commission also objects to India’s purchases of discounted Russian oil, which helps Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine.
Meanwhile the EU is grappling with demands from Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on India and China, another buyer of Russian oil, to pressure Russia to end the war.
The EU has said it intends to tighten secondary sanctions on non-European actors that are helping Russia evade western restrictions when it publishes its next set of sanctions proposals.
But privately, officials have balked at 100% tariffs, at a time when Brussels is also trying to sign a trade agreement with India by the end of the year.
Šefčovič did not respond directly to questions about whether the EU would agree to US demands for 100% tariffs, but said the bloc already had strong measures aimed at stopping circumvention of sanctions.
He added: “We are of course coordinating very closely with the United States, but also with other G7 partners because we believe if the G7 acts in the same manner, of course, the impact, then it is much stronger.”
Deputy Editor
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