Bilateral, Regional & Global Groupings

On September 17, 2025, the European Union released its New Strategic EU-India Agenda, a detailed plan to strengthen ties in key areas like trade, technology, and defence. This comes as leaders from both sides push to wrap up a Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025 and set up a formal security partnership. The move highlights India's growing role in global affairs and the need for stronger links to handle issues like supply chain risks and regional security, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it a step toward mutual benefits.

India and China have started implementing fresh confidence-building steps along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, with a strong focus on upgrading surveillance systems like cameras and drones to monitor the border constantly and cut down on physical patrols that could lead to clashes. This follows the October 2024 patrolling agreement and the August 2025 Special Representatives' dialogue, where both sides agreed to form an expert group for early boundary fixes, amid continued troop presence and harsh winter conditions that heighten risks.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on September 7, 2025, following a series of electoral setbacks for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), including a major loss in the July upper house elections that stripped the ruling coalition of its parliamentary majority. The announcement comes shortly after finalizing a crucial trade deal with the United States, involving $550 billion in Japanese investments in exchange for reduced tariffs, highlighting the intersection of domestic political turmoil and international economic pressures amid global trade tensions.

European Union's top commissioners for trade and agriculture are arriving in Delhi this week with a 30-member negotiating team to accelerate discussions on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. This visit follows a recent phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, where they emphasized an early conclusion to the deal. The talks have gained momentum due to the ongoing US tariff war, prompting India to seek concessions similar to those the EU recently offered the US on climate-related trade measures.

On August 22, 2025, US President Donald Trump nominated Sergio Gor, a close aide and Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, as the new US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs. This announcement comes at a critical juncture as India-US relations face challenges due to a 50% US tariff on Indian goods and India’s continued imports of Russian oil, making Gor’s appointment pivotal for bilateral diplomacy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit India. The Ukrainian envoy to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, praised India’s position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling it “not neutral,” marking a significant development in India’s foreign policy posture.

India announced significant progress in the IMEC project during recent diplomatic meetings, with multiple countries committing to infrastructure investments. The corridor is seen as a strategic response to China's Belt and Road Initiative and aims to reduce dependence on traditional shipping routes.