India's participation in Russian military exercises and purchases of Russian oil “stand in the way of closer ties” with the EU, senior bloc diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday, AFP reports.

“Ultimately, our partnership is not just about trade, but also about defending the rules-based international order,” Kallas said, announcing the bloc's strategy to strengthen ties between the EU and India. 

“Participation in military exercises, oil purchases — all of these are obstacles to our cooperation when it comes to deepening ties,” she said.