New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal hit out at European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas after she linked India’s ties with Russia to hurdles in EU-India cooperation.
Reacting on X, Sibal called her “parachuted into a job she is not qualified for” and criticised her “carrots and sticks” comment. “Is India a donkey to be offered carrots or beaten with sticks? The India-EU trade pact is not a favour. The EU will benefit too,” he wrote.
Sibal accused Kallas of showing “anti-Russian paranoia” and argued that the EU was weakening itself by following US pressure. He also questioned why she was “talking down at India” while being “aggressive against China.”
Kallas, however, defended her position. She said India’s purchase of Russian oil and participation in military exercises were major obstacles to deeper ties. She stressed that the EU wanted stronger partnerships with India but could not ignore such issues.
Her remarks followed India’s participation in the Zapad 2025 military drills with Russian troops from September 10 to 16, which EU officials described as a “great concern.” Kallas confirmed she had raised these matters directly with India’s External Affairs Minister during talks.
