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New Delhi : Secretary (West) Sibi George co-chaired the 7th India-EU Strategic Partnership Review Meeting in New Delhi on 9 November 2026 with Matti Maasikas, the European Union’s Deputy Secretary-General for Geoeconomics and Interinstitutional Issues. The two sides reviewed the full range of the partnership and progress on the Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda, which was adopted at the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi on 27 January 2026. Topics included trade and investment, supply chains and economic security, clean transition, critical technologies, research, connectivity, and talent mobility and people-to-people exchanges.
Key points from the meeting
- Trade and investment: The two sides reviewed work towards the timely signing and implementation of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, and agreed to keep working towards the Investment Protection Agreement and the Agreement on Geographical Indications.
- Supply chains and economic security: They discussed strengthening supply chains and economic security through the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) and the Blue Valleys initiative.
- Technology: They discussed cooperation on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, digital public infrastructure, advanced semiconductors, clean tech and biotechnology.
- Research: They welcomed deeper research collaboration, including India’s possible association with Horizon Europe.
- Ship recycling: They agreed to pursue cooperation to have Indian ship recycling yards that comply with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation added to the EU’s list of approved facilities.
- Connectivity: They stressed the importance of the Global Gateway, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and joint projects in clean energy, climate resilience, green mobility and digitalisation.
- People-to-people ties: They exchanged views on talent mobility, education and skills development, and reviewed updates on the European Legal Gateway Office.
- Next meeting: The next review meeting will be held in Brussels at a mutually convenient date next year.
About the India-EU Strategic Partnership
- The partnership has a Strategic Roadmap that was launched in 2020, and the two sides hold regular review meetings to track progress. The 6th review meeting took place in Brussels in November 2025.
- India and the EU concluded negotiations on the free trade agreement earlier this year. The pact is projected to create a market covering more than two billion people and about a quarter of the global economy.
- European Council President Antonio Costa said last month that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Brussels in December to formally sign the agreement.
- Both sides described themselves as trusted, predictable and like-minded partners and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the partnership.