“Geo-strategic developments that have happened over the past year in particular, and since the Ukraine war has also, helped in making the European Union realize that India can be a useful and a strategic partner in true sense of the word.”
Former Ambassador and Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Anil Wadhwa, told StratNews Global on The Gist that the tensions with the United States, especially following the Munich Security Conference, have actually, given a context to the two-day visit of the full 27-member European Union (EU) Commission.
“The EU now feels that it needs to be self-reliant in terms of not only security and defense, but also in terms of the relationships that it has,” Wadhwa noted although he does not feel the current rift between Europe and the US is something permanent.
The Trump administration has been telling Europe that the right-wing parties on the continent are closest in ideology to the current US administration, and the liberal policies of European leaders have failed to provide for the continent’s self-reliance in areas like defence.
Linked to that is what the US sees as Europe’s over-regulation in the digital space, and the tariffs imposed on its own industries. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, for instance, is not only stifling industry but also exacerbating voter dissatisfaction with issues like migration policies.
India is looking at this meeting with eyes focused on trade and technology, at semiconductors, AI, green tech and supply chains. The meeting of the Trade and Technology Council could be particularly crucial in terms of securing investments from there in high tech areas, Wadhwa said.
He acknowledged that progress in FTA negotiations between India and the EU has been slow. It began in 2007, stopped in 2013 and resumed in 2022. But given India’s recent track record with the UAE (comprenensive economic partnership May 2022) and Australia (economic cooperation & trade agreement Dec 2022), a deal with the EU may not seem so far fetched any more.
Tune in for more in this conversation with former Ambassador Anil Wadhwa.
