External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said a stronger India-European Union partnership was critical to stabilising the global order at a time when volatility and uncertainty had become the “new normal” in international affairs.Interacting with ambassadors from EU member states, Jaishankar discussed the current state of the world marked by geopolitical turbulence, economic disruptions and security challenges, and made a case for deeper India-EU cooperation across key domains.According to Jaishankar, closer ties between India and the EU could help “de-risk” the global economy through cooperation on resilient and trusted supply chains, an issue that has gained urgency amid ongoing conflicts and trade disruptions.He also underlined the role India and the EU could jointly play in reassuring the international community by providing global public goods, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), anti-piracy operations, and development projects in third countries.Stressing the need for a rules-based and stable international order, the External Affairs Minister said stronger trade, mobility and security partnerships between India and the EU would contribute to long-term global stability.Jaishankar said he was looking forward to the upcoming visit of President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to India for the Republic Day celebrations, a visit that is also expected to provide momentum to India-EU strategic engagement.The interaction comes ahead of the India-EU summit on January 27, where leaders are expected to review progress across political, economic and security cooperation, including trade negotiations and emerging areas such as critical technologies and maritime security.


