So near yet so far: the EU and India

The way ahead

The European Union has been a trusted partner in India’s development efforts, contributing funds to tackle poverty, improve healthcare and provide access to good education in India. In recent years, co-operation has increased to such areas like civil aviation, solar energy, research on nuclear fusion and ITeS (IT enabled services). There are many ways in which India and EU can give a fillip to their ties.

First, there has been an enormous focus in India’s foreign policy to developing closer ties with the United States to the detriment of its ties with other countries and blocs like the EU. Indian foreign policy mandarins need to realise that putting all their eggs into one basket is not a prudent strategy.

Second, the EU also needs to overcome its China fixation. China is presently the EU's 2nd largest trading partner and the biggest source of imports. The EU is China's biggest trading partner. In 2009, EU exported goods worth €81.6 billion to China 2009 while importing goods worth €214.7 billion from China. However issues like human rights, democracy and workers’ rights have been pushed to the background as the EU courts a rising China.

Third, institutional linkages need to be developed between the EU and India which could include universities, think-tanks and research institutions.

Fourth, people-to-people ties need to be further enhanced. In the case of the improved ties between India and the United States, the Indo-American community in the US has played a key role, while this has not been the case for India-EU ties, even though there is a sizeable Indian community in EU member countries.

Finally, private sector linkages between Indian and EU industries are also very important to further the growth of India-EU ties.

India and the EU have a long way to go. The key lies in agreeing to disagree over some issues and yet move ahead with their ties.