The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair’s, visit to New Delhi on September 6 at the head of a high level European Union delegation to attend the sixth EU-India summit the next day followed by a bilateral meeting between Blair and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 8 gives an unmistakable signal that the West is now increasingly focused on India.
The growing importance of the European Union to India as a political and economic bloc can hardly be ignored by New Delhi. No doubt an upswing in Indo-US ties is also palpable but going by experience, Washington has its own compulsions to dally between New Delhi and Islamabad purely on strategic grounds. After all, the war on terror is at the helm of America’s foreign policy goals. Whether it is on Kashmir or infiltration of militants across the Line of Control, the US would be the first to give the benefit of doubt to its most important ally, the General Pervez Musharaff of Pakistan. It is on this footing that India must cement its relations with the EU and with it, build a safety net against any possible wavering from Washington’s side.
Not only do India and the European Union share fundamental values of freedom and democracy but more importantly on global issues as well, the two entities possess similar or compatible views. The formal agreement on a wide-ranging and ambitious Action Plan to implement the Strategic Partnership between India and the European Union will serve to outline areas where both can be active and influential collaborators in global political, economic, and social developments. Some of the specific areas already agreed upon is enhancing political dialogue, trade and investment relations, cooperation on civilian use of nuclear energy and increased ‘mutual understanding’ through cultural and academic exchanges.
The understanding arrived at to work closely on the WTO on trade issues, global security and the new pact ‘zero tolerance’ to terrorism will in effect ensure useful collaboration in the multilateral forum and meet global challenges.
The European Union is a major economic power, which accounts for more than 20 per cent of world GDP and 20 per cent of international trade. India on the other hand has witnessed unprecedented economic growth in the past decade. To reap the potential benefits of more trade and investment between the two economic bloc, closer economic cooperation is essential for comprehensive trade and investment negotiations.
Even more significantly, both the EU and India are emerging as major political actors on the world stage.
