India’s World magazine, in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, hosted a high-level discussion on 29 September 2025 to launch its fifth issue, Cultivating Europe: Navigating India-EU Strategic Ties. The event examined the trajectory of India–Europe relations amid global disorder, shifting alliances, and the evolving dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.
Ambassador Hervé Delphin, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to India, delivered the keynote address, outlining the vision behind the newly introduced EU–India Strategic Agenda. He framed it as a long-term investment in deepening bilateral ties at a time marked by intensifying U.S.–China competition, technological disruption, the return of nationalist politics, and the retreat of multilateralism.
The panel, chaired by Professor C. Raja Mohan, featured Ambassador Dr Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador Mohan Kumar, Ms Suhasini Haidar, and Professor Gulshan Sachdev. Together, they brought sharp insights into the evolving India–EU relationship and the need for both partners to expand their strategic agency in an increasingly multipolar world.
Discussions spanned a wide spectrum of issues, including security concerns, strategic autonomy, progress on the EU–India Free Trade Agreement, migration and skilled-labour mobility, European engagement in the Indo-Pacific, technology and AI collaboration, climate change, and Europe’s approach to Russia.
The event marked a crucial step forward, fostering candid conversations on the next phase of cooperation. The dialogue reflected where the partnership stands today and pointed to the road ahead, reaffirming that sustained dialogue and diversified cooperation will be essential for India and Europe to realise the full potential of their strategic partnership.
