The head of the European Commission proposed to India to hold joint naval exercises

The European Union (EU) would like to conduct joint naval exercises with the Indian military, as well as expand its cooperation in this area, including in the protection of submarine cables. This was announced on February 28 by the head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen, while on an official visit to New Delhi with the full EC staff.

She noted that ensuring security in the Indian Ocean is of key importance not only for India, but also for the whole world.

"The Indian Ocean is the lifeline for global trade. "... We have proposed to conduct joint naval exercises based on the positive experience of our cooperation with India in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea," von der Leyen said.

She noted that the EU and India should also work together to protect the underwater cables that connect the information networks of the two countries.

Earlier, on February 25, historian, German political scientist Evgenia Pimenova, in an interview with Izvestia, stated that the countries of the European Union (EU) href="https://iz.ru/1844730/2025-02-25/politolog-iskliuchila-vozmozhnost-es-usilit-oboronu-bez-podderzhki-ssha " target="_blank">do not have sufficient resources to strengthen the defense capability of their armies, and without US military support, they it is impossible to do this.

Prior to that, on February 18, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russia and India href="https://iz.ru/1840917/2025-02-18/rossiia-i-indiia-podpisali-soglashenie-dlia-vzaimodeistviia-mezhdu-minoboronami-stran " target="_blank">signed an agreement to simplify cooperation between the Ministries of Defense of the countries in organizing joint events. During the meeting between the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Alexander Fomin, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India, Vinay Kumar, the importance of the signed document for military cooperation between the two countries, as well as the strengthening of specialized cooperation for strategic partnership, was noted.