New Delhi and Brussels must reset bilateral ties

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is visiting India along with the college of European Commissioners for a major summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government.

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This represents an unprecedented opportunity to consolidate a strategic agenda between the European Union (EU) and India. Despite shared attributes as large, diverse, and democratic entities, relations between the EU and India have traditionally been marked by missed opportunities and misunderstandings — a contrast to the dynamism that has marked both their relationships with the United States (US). But several recent developments create opportunities to overcome some of the old cliches Europeans and Indians have of each other and forge a forward-looking and broad-based partnership.

Geopolitics: The EU and India both have apprehensions about China’s economic and manufacturing supremacy threatening employment and businesses at home. They are also both adapting to a mercurial US seeking to reset the terms of its international engagement. With mounting security and sustainability challenges, both seek to surmount defence supply chain constraints and volatile global energy markets. Under these circumstances, the EU and India are now actively seeking new partners that offer market access, technological collaborations, structural stability, and scale.