External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held key meetings in Brussels with European Union leaders, focusing on startups, Horizon Europe, clean energy research, IMEC connectivity, green shipping, and India-EU trade and technology cooperation, strengthening the strategic partnership between India and Europe.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar held a series of high-level meetings with senior European Union leaders in Brussels on Wednesday, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation with Europe in areas including startups, research and innovation, clean and green energy technologies, connectivity, green shipping, and trade. The discussions highlighted the growing momentum in the India-European Union partnership and reflected the shared ambition of both sides to expand collaboration across emerging sectors.
One of the key meetings was held with European Union Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva. During the interaction, both leaders explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in research and innovation, with particular emphasis on clean and green energy technologies, innovation ecosystems, startup collaboration, and India’s association with the European Union’s flagship research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe.
India’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, Pranay Verma, along with senior officials, attended the meeting. Following the discussions, EAM Jaishankar shared details on social media platform X, describing the interaction as productive and forward-looking.
“A good meeting with EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva today. Discussed opportunities for research in clean and green energy technologies, innovation hubs, startups and association with Horizon Europe,” Jaishankar wrote.
Commissioner Zaharieva also highlighted the importance of the meeting, emphasizing that stronger innovation ties between India and Europe would contribute to shaping future global technologies. She stated that bringing India closer to Horizon Europe and connecting nearly half a million startups across both regions would create a partnership capable of delivering significant global impact.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela, where discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in strategic connectivity initiatives. The talks covered trilateral partnerships, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and cooperation in green shipping, an area gaining increasing importance as countries seek sustainable maritime transport solutions.
Following the meeting, Jaishankar noted that both sides shared a common vision for expanding connectivity and strengthening collaborative infrastructure projects that would benefit the broader region.
The External Affairs Minister’s engagements also included a meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa. Accompanied by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada, and Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Jaishankar conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the interaction, the Indian delegation reviewed the significant progress achieved in India-EU relations since the landmark India-EU Summit held earlier this year. Discussions focused on advancing trade, technology, innovation, and strategic cooperation while exploring new opportunities to strengthen the comprehensive partnership between India and the European Union.
Jaishankar expressed appreciation for President Costa’s continued guidance and support in enhancing bilateral cooperation. In his post on X, the minister highlighted the positive momentum in India-EU engagement and acknowledged the importance of sustained political dialogue in driving mutual growth and shared prosperity.
The Brussels visit also follows Jaishankar’s extensive discussions on Tuesday with the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. Those discussions covered a broad range of regional and global issues, reflecting the expanding strategic dimension of India-EU relations.
The series of meetings underscores India’s growing engagement with the European Union at a time when both partners are seeking closer collaboration in critical technologies, sustainable development, digital innovation, clean energy, research, and resilient supply chains. With initiatives such as Horizon Europe, IMEC, and green shipping gaining momentum, India and the European Union are positioning themselves as trusted partners committed to fostering innovation-led growth and addressing global challenges through stronger cooperation.
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The high-level engagements in Brussels are expected to further accelerate India-EU collaboration across multiple sectors, reinforcing a partnership that continues to expand beyond traditional diplomacy into innovation, economic development, sustainability, and technological advancement. As both sides work towards translating shared ambitions into concrete outcomes, the meetings have laid the foundation for deeper institutional cooperation and stronger people-to-people and business-to-business ties in the years ahead.
