India, Feb. 28 -- India and the European Union (EU) on Friday agreed to work on a security and defence partnership to jointly counter common threats and, with an eye on China, focused on ways to ensure a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific built on international law and respect for sovereignty.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said they would "explore a security and defence partnership" even as the two sides tackle traditional and non-traditional threats to safeguard trade and sea lanes of communication, according to a joint leaders' statement issued after their talks.

Security and defence cooperation was among the three focus areas for Von der Leyen's visit to India, the others being ...