India’s participation in military exercises with Moscow and its purchases of Russian oil “stand in the way of closer ties” with the EU, the bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday.

“Ultimately, our partnership is not only about trade, but also about defending the rules-based international order,” Kallas said as she announced the bloc’s strategy to strengthen EU-India ties.

“Participating in military exercises, purchases of oil — all these are obstacles to our cooperation when it comes to deepening the ties,” Kallas said.

Despite a lack of alignment over Russia, the European Union and India are working to conclude talks on a free trade agreement by the end of 2025. (AFP)