European Union Adapted New India Policy

To date, relations between India and the European Union have not been very promising. But after 14 years, the new EU policy is expected to change that.

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The expansion of the strategic partnership between India and the European Union was announced in a 2004 agreement between the two countries. However, no significant progress has been made on this front to date. Fourteen years later, the European Union has announced its new policy on India. Presenting a statement on the new India policy, EU Ambassador to India Tomasz Kozlowski said, "India is a top priority in the EU's foreign relations. The European Union has taken India's expectations very seriously. India and the European Union are ready to take Hanuman Udi together on the world stage.

Transformational changes

This new policy document provides an in-depth discussion on how to further and effectively improve bilateral relations between India and the European Union. It was also promised that both parties would be committed to taking steps to materialize these churches. To date, there has been a lack of a clear policy in this regard. The new policy document discusses the interrelationships between Brussels (the headquarters of the European Union) and India, as well as strategically important issues. These include the Partnership Agreement, accelerating discussions on Afghanistan and Central Asia. Steps have been taken to curb violence and financing of terrorists in order to combat terrorism and extremism.

To date, the European Union has been reluctant to use its power. But now there seems to be a positive change in this attitude. The European Union (EU) has also called for enhanced defence and security cooperation with India in view of the global situation.

Although the two have similar threads on the issues of democracy and commonwealth, India and the European Union are relatively far apart. It had failed to forge a strategic partnership capable of giving a new dimension to the geopolitical and geopolitical situation of the 21st century. Either they were complaining against each other or they were shouting at each other. The penance was once wrapped up in its own difficulties.

However, in the last few years, India's personal relations with the countries of the European Union have improved dramatically. Therefore, the European Union's focus is on India and both are aware of the importance of this relationship.

Currently, US President Donald Trump is making decisions that will have an impact globally. Many of these decisions are not in the interests of the European people. On the other hand, China's rise on the world stage is becoming very challenging. The European Union wants to convince the world that this could undermine global stability. In such a challenging situation, it is natural to feel the need to establish a solid relationship with India.

Delhi's hand of friendship

The Narendra Modi government had maintained the same distance as before while dealing with the West. New Delhi found it almost impossible to find a way out of the EU's administrative dilemma. As a result, India also ignored European federations. India has often objected to some of Brussels' statements. While the countries of the European Union were trying to forge closer ties with India, the attitude towards India as a federation remained the same from a political point of view. As a result, the federation's expectations on Indian foreign and security policy were ignored.

As a result, relations between India and the European Union to this day have been limited to finance and trade. The European Union emerged as India's largest trading partner and largest foreign investor; However, relations between the two sides remained strained on any strategic issue. The Modi government initially tried to revive talks on bilateral trade and investment agreements between the European Union and India, but without much success, peace prevailed at the forefront of bilateral relations.

After Brexit, however, the political landscape of the European Union expanded, and India also decided to take advantage of the changing geopolitical relations between Eurasia and the Pacific, both recognizing the importance of enhancing bilateral relations. A new wave is now brewing in Brussels, emerging as a country with important geopolitical features. In that sense, India can be a natural partner in many ways.

The evolution of China has created a general apathy on the world stage. On the other hand, the Trump administration's view of the West is appealing to all. The whole picture is negative. As India's horizons expand beyond South Asia and the Indian Ocean, so do the ambitions of the European Union. The European Union will be part of the International Solar Alliance and has invited India to protect ships bound for Somalia under the World Food Program. The two sides are now cooperating in a very concerted manner on such global issues.

Going forward

Therefore, the new Indian policy presented by the European Union has come at the right time. It is not enough to say that the European Union and India are 'natural friends', it should be seen from the security cooperation mentioned in the document to the greater focus on counter-terrorism, regional security and other issues. India now needs resources and experts in its key areas such as cyber security, urbanization, environmental rehabilitation and skills development. It can meet the European Federation.

With the European Union now focusing on India, New Delhi should respond positively. In the past, Bharti had complained that Brussels did not take India seriously. Now there are signs that the complaint will go away. To date, China has occupied this space due to the lack of an ideal system that would bind both India and the European Union. Now, however, the picture is likely to change.