India Dismisses EU Criticism Over Participation in Russian-Belarusian Military Drills

New Delhi – India on Friday rejected European Union criticism of its participation in the multilateral Zapad-2025 military exercise in Russia’s Nizhniy, stressing that several other nations, including NATO members, also took part as observers.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to remarks made by European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas, said:
“The Ministry of Defence has already shared details of India’s participation. I would also like to point out that NATO countries such as the United States, Turkey, and Hungary have also participated in the exercise as observers.”

Kallas had suggested that India’s involvement in the drills, along with its continued purchase of Russian oil, could complicate ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

Meanwhile, Russia dismissed Western concerns as “baseless,” with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reiterating that the Zapad-2025 exercises were “exclusively defensive” in nature.

The drills, conducted between September 12–16 at 41 training sites across Russia and Belarus, form the final stage of joint training of their armed forces. India sent a 65-member contingent, including personnel from the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Led by a Kumaon Regiment battalion, the team participated in joint company-level operations focusing on conventional warfare and counter-terrorism cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the exercise is designed to strengthen military ties, enhance interoperability, and provide a platform for armies to exchange tactics, techniques, and operational practices in a multinational environment.

With inputs from IANS