Consider the following:
Assertion (A): India and the European Union have intensified their defence and security cooperation, including conducting joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Guinea.
Reason (R): India and the EU have signed a comprehensive defence pact similar to the EU’s agreements with Japan and South Korea.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true

Question

Consider the following:
Assertion (A): India and the European Union have intensified their defence and security cooperation, including conducting joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Guinea.
Reason (R): India and the EU have signed a comprehensive defence pact similar to the EU&rsquo;s agreements with Japan and South Korea.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Assertion (A) is correct: India and the European Union (EU) have deepened their engagement in recent years, especially in light of shared concerns over maritime security, Indo-Pacific stability, and global strategic autonomy. In October 2022, the first-ever joint naval exercise between India and the EU was conducted in the Gulf of Guinea (off the coast of West Africa). The exercise included tactical maneuvers, boarding exercises, and operations aimed at countering piracy and maritime crime, aligning with both India&rsquo;s SAGAR vision and EU&rsquo;s Indo-Pacific strategy.

Reason (R) is not correct: Although India and the EU are in discussions to build a formalised security and defence cooperation framework, no comprehensive defence pact has yet been signed. The EU has formal Strategic Partnerships in defence with countries like Japan and South Korea, including Security Dialogues, joint operations, and defence industry collaboration. India&ndash;EU cooperation is still in the phase of structured dialogue and confidence-building, without a binding agreement comparable to the ones with East Asian partners.

India-European Union Defence and Security Cooperation

Joint Naval Exercises and Defence Pact

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M Question 1	⏱ 0
Consider the following: Assertion (A): India and the European Union have intensified their defence and security cooperation, including conducting joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Guinea. Reason (R): India and the EU have signed a comprehensive defence pact similar to the EU’s agreements with Japan and South Korea. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A (c) A is true, but R is false (d) A is false, but R is true