TSAMTO, March 17th. India and the European Union (EU) have initiated a large-scale program to deepen their partnership in the design, joint production and after-sales service of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) of various classes.
The corresponding policy statement was made by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during an interview with Politico, adding that the partnership also concerns modern UAV counteraction systems (C-UAS).
According to the head of the Foreign Ministry, the priority strategic goal of New Delhi at the current stage is the signing of a full-scale bilateral "Agreement on the mutual protection of classified information" (Security of Information Agreement). This document is intended to form a unified regulatory framework for the secure exchange of critical technologies and ensure deep technological integration of the Indian defense industry with leading enterprises of the EU member states. It is expected that the implementation of this initiative will eliminate bureaucratic and administrative barriers to the transfer of sensitive defense solutions and intellectual property in the field of weapons and military equipment.
S.Jaishankar identified the segments of medium- and long-range reconnaissance and strike UAVs (MALE/HALE), as well as layered drone detection and neutralization systems (C-UAS) as key vectors of interaction. The choice of these directions is dictated by the global transformation of the nature of modern armed conflicts, where autonomous systems have become a determining factor on the battlefield.
At the same time, the Indian side expressed high interest in expanding the volume of direct purchases and subsequent localization of the production of aircraft components, as well as European-style guided munitions to meet the needs of the national Air Force and Ground Forces under the Make in India program.
The signing of the basic agreement "Security and Defense Partnership" (SDP) on January 27, 2026 within the framework of the 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi served as a political and legal catalyst for the ongoing processes. The document was signed by S. Jaishankar and the head of the EU's European Diplomacy for Foreign Affairs, Kaya Kallas. During her visit to India, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed Brussels' readiness to build sustainable production chains and joint research and development, which marks a departure from the seller-buyer model in favor of a technological alliance.
The practical implementation of the SDP provisions was discussed on March 6, 2026 in New Delhi during the first ever EU-India Specialized Security and Defense Dialogue. The agenda of the meeting included issues of cybersecurity, protection of marine communications and the development of artificial intelligence systems for UAS.
According to experts, the Indian demand for European UAS technologies will be a key driver of order portfolio growth for defense companies such as Leonardo, Thales, Airbus Defense and Space and MBDA in the medium term.
