While Trump’s tariffs are causing the EU to strengthen other alliances, they have also driven Delhi to seek closer links with Russia and China

The EU has called for closer ties with India while admitting there was no “mutual understanding” with Narendra Modi’s government over Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and lead negotiator on trade, Maroš Šefčovič, outlined an EU-India strategy on Wednesday as part of Europe’s drive to build and strengthen alliances in a world shaken by Donald Trump’s challenges to the post-war order. But they did not attempt to hide differences with Delhi, after Indian forces took part this week in Russia’s Zapad (western) military exercises in Belarus that simulated a war with Nato countries.