Brussels, March 17, 2026 — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar completed an official visit to Brussels on March 15–16, 2026, at the invitation of European Union High Representative and Vice‑President Kaja Kallas. The trip came within six weeks of the EU leaders’ historic State Visit to India as Guests of Honour for the 77th Republic Day and the 16th India‑EU Summit, highlighting sustained high‑level momentum in the relationship.
During the visit Jaishankar met European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, conveying warm greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Talks focused on consolidating the outcomes of the January Summit and advancing priorities set out in the joint India‑EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda.
Key agenda items included accelerating negotiations toward an India‑EU free trade agreement, enhancing defence‑industrial cooperation, and expanding maritime collaboration under the Security and Defence partnership. Jaishankar also emphasized making the Trade and Technology Council more outcome‑oriented and better integrated with industry, while stepping up cooperation on sustainable development and green energy.
Jaishankar participated in an interaction with the EU Foreign Affairs Council, chaired by HRVP Kallas and attended by foreign ministers of EU member states; Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, also joined the session. Ministers exchanged views on pressing global issues such as energy security in West Asia, the crisis in Ukraine, and stability in the Indo‑Pacific. Jaishankar stressed the importance of aligning India’s engagements with the EU alongside ties with individual member states, a point that found resonance among European counterparts.
On the sidelines of the Council, Jaishankar and HRVP Kallas held a bilateral meeting in which both sides reiterated their shared ambition to raise India‑EU cooperation to a higher strategic level. They agreed to convene the next meetings of the India‑EU Trade and Technology Council and the Strategic Dialogue at the earliest opportunity.
Jaishankar also held bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Slovakia. Discussions covered a wide range of issues including political and economic ties, defence and security cooperation, critical technologies, the green transition, people‑to‑people links and regional developments. India and Belgium agreed to set up a Strategic Dialogue at the External Affairs Minister/Foreign Minister level to deepen bilateral engagement.
During the visit Jaishankar engaged with media and underlined that India‑EU relations are entering a phase of renewed strategic momentum, with intensified efforts to implement “Towards 2030: A Joint India‑EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda.”
