 "‘India has right to protect its citizens’: EU backs Op Sindoor as response to Pahalgam massacre")
In a strong show of support, the European Union on Tuesday backed India’s right to protect its citizens in response to the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Today, we hosted the first ever EU–India Strategic Dialogue.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 10, 2025
This is a big step forward for our partnership — tackling issues such as maritime security, space and paving the way for deeper defence cooperation.
My press conference with @DrSJaishankar ↓ pic.twitter.com/YDkIIXbBNX
Speaking during the inaugural EU-India Strategic Dialogue, EU Foreign and Security Policy Chief Kaja Kallas reiterated Europe’s solidarity with India, condemning the Pahalgam massacre in the strongest terms.
“I want to reiterate EU’s strong condemnation of the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Those responsible must be held accountable. India has the right to protect its citizens in accordance with the international law,” Kallas said.
“Minister Jaishankar, you and I were in close contact after the attacks. I regret the tragic loss of lives in India and Pakistan,” she added.
She said EU supports continued talks between India and Pakistan to reduce tensions.
“No one stands to gain from renewed conflicts in the region,” she added.
Describing India and EU as natural partners, she said together we make up a quarter of the world’s population and GDP.
“By working together, we have a great potential to make a global impact,” said Kallas.
“Today we are holding the first ever EU-India Strategic Dialogue. This marks a significant step forward in our partnership and in addressing threats like cyber-attacks and foreign interference. It also paves the way for much deeper defence cooperation, sharing expertise and exploring joint initiatives,” she added.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOn security, Kallas said Europe and India face many of the same challenges and terrorism, military build-ups and violation of international law affect both.
“Last week, Indian the EU held a joint naval exercise in the Indian ocean. This is more than symbolic. It shows our shared commitment to uphold international law at sea,” she said.
She said EU-India cooperation on counterterrorism is also growing stronger.
“We already worked together on information sharing, capacity building and joint efforts to combat terrorism financing. And today, we also agreed to hold our next counterterrorism dialogue in autumn,” said Kallas.
Beyond security, India and EU are also expanding cooperation in new domains like space.
“We already have access to each other’s data from earth observation satellites and at our meeting we agreed to establish a new formal dialogue on space. This will cover areas such as satellite navigation and security. The first session is set to take place also in autumn this year,” she said.
Looking ahead, she said there is a compelling case for an enhanced EU-India security and defence partnership.
“We already have such partnerships with seven other countries. Today we renew our intention to work towards this goal. Because peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific are closely intertwined with peace and security in Europe,” she added.
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