Onlykashmir.in News Desk
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Thursday called for deeper and more trusted partnerships between India and the European Union, arguing that such alliances offer a viable path forward amid mounting global economic uncertainty and disruption to established trade patterns.
Speaking at the third India-European Union Trade and Technology Council meeting in Brussels, Jaishankar told delegates that the international economy is currently grappling with a combination of supply chain chokepoints, market access barriers and technology gaps that no single country can navigate alone. He framed the India-EU relationship as an example of the kind of reliable, long-term partnership needed to address these overlapping challenges, stressing that trust between partners is becoming as important as capability in an increasingly fragmented global trading environment.
The Trade and Technology Council, now in its third iteration, has emerged as a key forum for India and the European Union to coordinate on issues ranging from semiconductor supply chains and digital governance to clean technology cooperation and export controls. Jaishankar’s remarks in Brussels come against the backdrop of broader efforts by both sides to diversify trade relationships and reduce overdependence on any single manufacturing or technology hub, a concern that has grown more pronounced amid recent geopolitical and economic shocks affecting global commerce.
By highlighting supply chain vulnerabilities and technology gaps as shared concerns, the External Affairs Minister positioned the India-EU relationship not merely as a bilateral trade arrangement but as part of a wider strategic recalibration underway among major economies seeking more resilient and diversified partnerships. His comments suggest India sees an opportunity to deepen its economic and technological engagement with Europe at a time when traditional supply chains are being reassessed globally.
The Brussels meeting is expected to yield further discussions on cooperation frameworks covering critical technologies, trade facilitation measures and mechanisms to address market access concerns raised by both sides. Officials familiar with the discussions say the Trade and Technology Council format allows for more structured, sustained engagement between India and the EU compared to conventional diplomatic channels, potentially setting the stage for concrete agreements on technology transfer and supply chain resilience in the months ahead.
