ABOUT
The inaugural edition of the India–EU Forum is being convened by the Ananta Centre in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, India. It will be held on 6–7 February 2026 in New Delhi.
The India–EU partnership stands at a pivotal moment. As two of the world’s largest democratic and economic actors, India and the EU bring complementary strengths to an increasingly complex global landscape. Together, they are shaping pathways for resilient supply chains, sustainable growth, and secure digital futures.
From innovation ecosystems to climate action, maritime security, and critical technologies, the partnership is unlocking new opportunities for governments, industry, and citizens. The India–EU Forum offers a timely platform to build on this momentum, encourage fresh ideas, and chart the next phase of a strategic relationship essential for regional and global stability.
Participation: The Forum is held under the Chatham House Rule. Participation is by invitation only, with attendees drawn from senior leadership across government, industry, academia, and policy.
AGENDA
8:45 hrs · All delegates are requested to convene at the Chanakya Hall, Second Floor, Sushma Swaraj Bhawan
9:00 – 9:05
Welcome Remarks
Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ananta Centre; Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group9:05 – 9:10
Recorded Remarks
Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships9:10 – 10:10
Inaugural Session: India and the EU: A Strategic Course for the Next Decade
S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Government of IndiaModerator: Indrani Bagchi, Chief Executive Officer, Ananta Centre
10:10 – 11:30
Session 2: Theatres of Contestation: How Strategic Challenges Determine our Response to the World
How shifts across key theatres of contestation determine strategy, risk, and response- Alexander Schallenberg, Former Federal Minister for European and International Affairs & Former Chancellor of Austria
- Bilahari Kausikan, Former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
- Michael Pettis, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Laimonas Talat-Kelpša, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania
- C. Raja Mohan, Columnist and Visiting Professor, National University of Singapore
- Freddy Svane, Former Danish Ambassador to India and Japan
11:30 – 11:45 · Coffee Break
11:45 – 13:00
Session 3: After the FTA: Leveraging the India-EU Trade & Investment Architecture
With the completion of the FTA, looking forward to increasing bilateral investments, enhanced economic security, and trade in key sectorsKeynote Speaker: Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary, Government of India
- Sanjiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv, India
- Hervé Delphin, Ambassador, Delegation of European Union to India
- Nilesh Shah, Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited
- Piet De Munter, Chief Executive Officer, Flanders Investment & Trade
- Ananth Narayan, Former Member, Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
- Saugata Bhattacharya, Member of Monetary Policy Committee, Reserve Bank of India
- Diwakar Mittal, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, Novo Nordisk
13:00 – 13:45 · Please join us for lunch at Shakuntalam and Nalanda Hall, Ground Floor, Sushma Swaraj Bhawan
14:00 – 14:20
Session 4
Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director (MD), Airbus India and South Asia in conversation with Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, India Practice Head, Eurasia Group14:30 – 15:30
Session 5: Defending Homelands: Future Wars and Security Threats
Both India and the EU are facing increasingly challenging geopolitical environments even as the nature of warfare is changing rapidly, this session will explore shaping current and future conflicts and underscoring the need for enhanced military readiness.Keynote Speaker: Oliver Burkhard, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, TKMS GmbH
- Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, Secretary of State, Poland
- Air Chief Mshl NAK Browne, Former CAS and Ambassador to Norway and Director, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. India
- Andrea Margelletti, Advisor to Minister of Defence, Italy & President of CeSI
- Kristi Raik, Director, International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS)
- Lt Gen Raj Shukla, Member, Union Public Service Commission; Former General Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Army Training Command
- Vinayak Dalmia, Founder & Managing Director of Bharat Semi & 3rdiTech
- Roberto Pierdominici, Managing Director, Leonardo India
15:30 – 16:15
Session 6: Talent Contest: Mobility, Skills, and the New Global Workforce
Redefining mobility as a pathway to work rather than citizenship- Arnab Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer, GATI Foundation
- Lohit Bhatia, Chief Executive Officer, Quess Corp Limited
- Constantino Xavier, Senior Fellow, Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP)
16:15 – 16:30 · Coffee break
16:30 – 17:30
Session 7: Is a Euro-Indo-Pacific Too Much?
Discussing India–EU Engagement in the Indo-Pacific. How China shapes trade, supply chains, security, and connectivity —and what this means for India–EU cooperationKeynote Speaker: Sibi George, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India
- Gunnar Wiegand, former Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific, EEAS (2016-2023)
- Happymon Jacob, Founder, Council for Strategic and Defence Research (CSDR)
- Agatha Kratz, Partner, Rhodium Group
- Jamil Anderlini, Regional Director – Europe, POLITICO
- Nicolas Kyriakides, Executive President, Cyprus Forum
17:30 – 18:15
Session 8
Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry of India in Conversation with Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ananta Centre; Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group
19:00 – 21:30 · Dinner and Reception
By invitation only
By invitation only
