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As NATO and European Union members seek deeper partnerships amid growing geopolitical instability, Lithuania has described India as a “very important global player” whose strategic influence is now extending far beyond the Indo-Pacific into Europe and global security affairs.
In an exclusive interaction, Karolis Aleksa, Vice Minister of National Defence for Lithuania, outlined opportunities for India-Europe cooperation in cybersecurity, drones, maritime security, counter-hybrid threats and defence innovation, while also expressing concern over the emerging alignment between Russia, Iran and China.
“India is a very important global player. Its role is growing not only in the Pacific or Indian Ocean, Asia-Pacific, but also in Europe and worldwide,” he said. “We see India as a very important partner.”
The remarks come at a time when Europe is reassessing its security partnerships following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and amid wider instability across West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
India-EU defence cooperation gaining momentum
Aleksa stressed that cybersecurity and hybrid warfare are among the key areas where India and European nations can collaborate more closely.
“Cybersecurity is one of those areas… this is an evolving area. We should continue to set global standards in order to have stability,” he said.
Lithuania, which has emerged as one of Europe’s more active voices on cyber resilience and information warfare, sees India as an important partner in building frameworks to counter emerging digital and hybrid threats.
He also pointed to the rapid transformation underway in modern warfare, particularly following the Ukraine conflict.
“We are living in military transformation times,” he said, adding that “drones are changing battlefields.”
The Baltic nation is currently modernizing its military capabilities and expanding its domestic defence industry, particularly in unmanned systems and counter-UAV technologies. According to the Vice Minister, Lithuanian companies have already participated in defence exhibitions in India, opening the door for greater industrial collaboration.
“I think this is very important here to exchange and to see what is happening… also for counter-UAV systems,” he said.
His comments align closely with India’s push for indigenous defence manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative and growing India-EU discussions around defence innovation and trusted technology partnerships.
NATO concerns over Russia, China and Iran
He directly linked China’s support for Russia to the broader European security crisis triggered by the Ukraine war. “From our perspective, China is the biggest enabler for Russia’s invasion against Ukraine.”
He added that the international rules-based order was under strain and argued that countries, regardless of size, must work collectively to preserve stability.
Aleksa also described Iran as “another enabler” of Russia’s war effort, citing Tehran’s growing cooperation with Moscow.
“Iran is also another enabler for Russia’s war against Ukraine,” he said.
Discussing tensions in West Asia, including concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional instability, he maintained that diplomacy remained essential.
“We hope that the negotiations between the United States and Iran would be successful,” he said.
While acknowledging the complexity of the negotiations, he stressed that continued instability in the region carries significant economic and political consequences globally.
UNCLOS, maritime security and India’s role
Another key area highlighted during the conversation was maritime and undersea infrastructure security, an issue increasingly connecting European and Indo-Pacific strategic concerns.
Lithuania has raised alarms over threats to critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including damage linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
“Freedom of navigation is very important for us,” the Vice Minister said.
He also pointed to the need for stronger international regulation under the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), arguing that current protections governing critical undersea infrastructure remain insufficient.
Referring to existing maritime rules, he said:
“We have to make a step forward and to see what better regulation could look like.”
He noted that current mechanisms under UNCLOS remain “very soft” when it comes to protecting undersea cables and strategic maritime infrastructure from sabotage or grey-zone activities.
Both Europe and Indo-Pacific nations face rising concerns over maritime disruptions, shadow fleets, piracy, and attacks on subsea infrastructure.
Lithuania sees India as an increasingly important maritime stakeholder in this debate.
“India is very important because it’s a big ocean power,” he said, while referring to India’s role in freedom of navigation and counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean.
There is a growing convergence between European and Indian concerns over sea lane security, maritime law, and protection of critical global trade infrastructure.
He also welcomed the prospect of stronger institutional frameworks between India and the European Union, suggesting that broader agreements could help accelerate defence and technology cooperation.
“The European Union is a very important format… if we would have a single framework and stability, of course that helps,” he said.
At the same time, he stressed that future partnerships in defence manufacturing and emerging technologies would depend heavily on trust and strategic alignment.
“We want partnerships with countries that we trust,” he said.
Huma Siddiqui
