The European Union head Ursula von Der Leyen is set to start a two-day visit to India on Thursday, with the entire college of commissioners as well as the top leaders of the European Union Executive Branch.
India and the European Union are already cooperating closely on issues like foreign policy, defense and technology development. Now Brussels is increasing efforts to finalize the long -standing free trade agreement with the world’s most populous country.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs says that the journey will pave the way for “strengthening bilateral partnership based on the growing coniferous”.
The two sides expect a bilateral body to promote digital innovation and sustainable tech AEA with a meeting of the India-European Union’s Trade and Technology Council, a bilateral body consisting of selected European Union Commissioner and Indian Minister.
European Union is trying to ‘diversify partnership’
Foreign policy experts and diplomats say that the European Union is currently eager to reduce dependence on traditional colleagues such as America, while still beware of China.
“The journey comes in a significant moment because Europe navigates a rupuring trans-eleventh alliance and a disruptive navigate [Donald] Trump Presidency. This comes to the top of constant concerns about China’s vocalism and Russia’s aggression, “Ajay Biskia, a former diplomat, told DW.
“This disruptive behavior of the major powers that provided it with affordable security, goods and energy, actively inspired the European Union to its participation, and India emerged as a natural partner,” said hey.
Trade deal is still limited
India and the European Union are trying to accelerate a free trade agreement and promote cooperation in clean technology, as well as looking at strategic alignment in front of potential American taffs.
But the trade deal has still been stripped on several issues, including market access to the discovery of products as cars or alcoholic beverages. There is a lot of discrimination on intellectual property security, especially New Delhi urges that investors leave local remedies in India before demanding international arbitration.
The next round of talks is scheduled to take place in March.
Answer to China’s ‘Belt and Road’
Gulshan Sachdeva, a professor of a European study, who serves as the chief coordinator of India’s Global South Center of Excellence, says that expanding relations with the European Union is only beyond the free trade deal.
“Even though a trade agreement remains elusive, the current global geopolitical fragmentation provides new opportunities for the two largest democratic institutions in the world to cooperate in the field such as technology and connectivity,” Sachdeva told DW.
Shim said that India is widely entangled with major European powers on bilateral grounds, but this Brussels recognizes the importance of promoting relations with bureaucracy.
He pointed to the modernization of India and the desire of increasing convergence of interests in Indo-Pacific. According to Sachdeva, the two sides are actively searching for a new route through initiatives such as the Indo-Mid East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) of the East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), which aims to traffic and communication between Europe and Asia. Have to increase. IMEC is often prepared as a reaction to China’s Amberbitouus, Multibillion Dollar “Belt and Road” program.
“In addition, India’s engagement with the European Union has expanded its traditional states with its traditional states to create new relations with Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region,” he said.
The European Union still wants ‘de-raising’ from China
Shanthi D’Suza, head of the Mantaya Institute of Strategic Studies in India, told DW that the relations between New Delhi and Brussels have not yet been fully adapted. Working with the US and the European Union, India has a strong relationship with Russia.
“The European Union is important for India’s position on Ukraine. On the other hand, India considers the carbon border adjustment mechanism of the European Union and the deforestation law inappropriate,” D’Suza said.
Despite the thesis differences, however, both India and the European Union have a strategic partnership that touches issues including security, climate change and sustainable development. India is not immune for the current geopolitical disturbance coming from America.
“India is evaluating its response to unilateral tasks of Trump administration, which is about tetf and immigration.”
Ursula vagon von dera leryn and other top European Union officials visit “Business, Green Technology, Education, Health, Health, AI, Defense Relations, Indo-Pacific and Risk from Indo-Pacific and China” presents a Changus dialogue “on many issues” . “He noted especially for Europe.
New geopolitical alignment?
India has over 6,000 European companies, and in the last decade, trade in goods has increased by about 90%. According to the European Commission, the European Union is now India’s largest trading partner as a whole, defeating the US and China. In 2023, exports and imports to European blocks were $ 130 billion (€ 124 billion) or 12.2% of total Indian trade.
“This journey is a historic milestone in the European Union-India relations and it is important as it reflects a mutual recognition of each other’s growing global authority and it is deals, technical participation, or a strong geopolitical alignment A push to convert through the medium, “C Raja Singapore’s South Asian study told DW by a visiting professor Mohan.
Earlier this month, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar emphasized the strategic importance of the India-European Union’s relationship in navigating the global challenge. “In a world that promises to be so unstable and so uncertain, a strong India-European Union relationship can be an important stable factor,” the minister said.
Edited by: Darko Jenjeevic