India and the European Union on Tuesday agreed to hold the first-ever ministerial strategic foreign policy dialogue soon to jointly navigate an array of critical challenges including geo-political tensions and Chinese belligerence in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

The decision to institute the strategic dialogue was taken during a phone conversation between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his counterpart from the 27-nation bloc Kaja Kallas.

In a post on ‘X’, Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said it was agreed to hold the first ministerial strategic foreign policy dialogue soon.

The move to hold the dialogue comes months before India and the EU hold summit-level talks in New Delhi that is expected to see significant outcomes in terms of deepening of cooperation in a range of areas such as security, digital public infrastructure and trade.

It is expected that the dialogue at the level of foreign ministers of the two sides will provide a platform to evolve joint strategies and forge deeper cooperation in confronting various geo-political challenges including from China, people familiar with the matter said.

“It was great talking to @DrSJaishankar of India this morning. Global security challenges are interconnected. We will focus together to make progress on security, trade, digital and green transition,” Kallas said.

“We agreed to hold the first ministerial Strategic Foreign Policy Dialogue soon,” she added.

On his part, Jaishankar said: “Discussed developments in Europe, West Asia and Indo-Pacific. Look forward to an early meeting.”

On the Jaishankar-Kallas talks, EU Ambassador to India Herve Delphin said both sides committed to advance India-EU cooperation on a wide range of foreign policy and security issues of mutual interest.

The decision to institute the strategic dialogue is seen as a major move after the launch of India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in February last year.

Subsequently, both sides established three working groups under the TTC.

The first working group is on strategic technologies, digital governance and digital connectivity.

The second one is on green and clean energy technologies and the third one is on trade, investment and resilient value chains.

The TTC is facilitating exchange of critical technologies relating to an array of domains including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors and cybersecurity.

The TTC with India was the European Union’s second such technology partnership after the first one with the United States that was firmed up in June 2021.

The formation of the TTC followed the announcement on it by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on April 25, 2022.

India and the EU are also looking at forging deeper cooperation to ensure a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific.

In August last year, the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Atlanta flagship, ITS Durand De La Penne conducted a joint activity at sea with the Indian destroyer INS Visakhapatnam in the framework of the EU’s strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Operation Atlanta is a critical maritime security operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).