One country, many divisions

Ahead of the visit of the President, and all European Union Commissioners, to India, in February 2025, the Economist ran a leader “How India became an unexpected role model for Europe,” that compared India favourably with the European Union (EU), which, according to the Economistħad a 'sclerotic economy' and 'gridlocked politics.'

- BY DEVENDRA SAKSENA

There are, indeed, a number of similarities between EU and India: both are polyphonic and pluralist democracies, both are the antithesis of the modern nation state, which requires a common religion, a common language and a common enemy.

While India has 28 States, EU comprises 27 countries. Both have a common currency, a common flag and a national anthem but the feeling of nationhood is missing in the EU. Also, like the EU, there are vast differences in income and productivity amongst Indian States. And, much like the EU, inefficient regions of the Indian Union, are heavily subsidised by hardworking States, courtesy the Finance Commission. As an aside, both Pakistan and Bangladesh are perfect examples of a modern nation state with a common religion (Islam), common language (Bangla and Urdu, respectively) and a common enemy (India), but both are on the verge of becoming failed states, while India and the EU are commendable success stories.

There is no denying the fact that diverse countries and groups, including Russia, China and EU, are cosying up to India, and vice-versa, because of the upheaval in international relations, caused by US President Trump's erratic activities. The US has all but rewritten her relations with Europe, by excluding Ukraine and all of Europe, in talks between the US and Russia, in Riyadh, in February, and later accentuating the divide by threatening to levy 30 percent tariff on EU goods - an issue that was sorted out with difficulty. Therefore, copious praise for our governance and institutions, by the Western media, should be taken with a pinch of salt; it may be an atonement for decades of sarcastic, and sometimes even untrue reporting - as Virgil had said much earlier, 'beware of the Greek bearing gifts.' There is, of course a distinct disadvantage that India suffers vis-à-vis the EU; while Europe is perceptibly divided amongst different nations, divisions in India are not so apparent but often much deeper.