The European Union and India held their second maritime security dialogue in a virtual format on 1 February 2022. The consultations included developments in the maritime security environment, policy developments covering the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative, EU-India maritime cooperation, and regional initiatives to address international maritime security issues.

The EU and India discussed cooperation, including in the field of maritime domain awareness, capacity-building and joint naval activities, following their successful joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Aden in June 2021.

The EU and India are committed to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, notably the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The meeting was co-chaired by Ms Joanneke Balfoort, Director for Security and Defence Policy at the European External Action Service, and Mr Sandeep Arya, Joint Secretary for Disarmament and International Security Affairs at India’s Ministry of External Affairs.