EU appoints military attache in mission in India

The European Union (EU) has posted a military attache in its mission in India, in reflection of growing defence and strategic cooperation between the two sides, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

It is for the first time that the EU appointed a military attache to India.

The overall strategic ties between India and the 27-nation EU have been on an upward trajectory in the last few years.

India is among a select group of countries where the EU has appointed military attaches.

The EU has been focusing on expanding military cooperation with India and many other countries in the Indo-Pacific.

In February last year, the European Union vowed to enhance its defence and security engagement with its partners in the Indo-Pacific and announced the extension of the concept of a coordinated maritime presence in the north-west Indian Ocean.

The 27-nation bloc came out with a detailed note on its strategy for the Indo-Pacific following a meeting of its ministerial forum in Paris in February last year. In September, 2021, the EU unveiled its strategy for boosting economic, political and defence ties in the Indo-Pacific.