India Europe relations could flourish with Proper mindset
Indo Russian friendship has stood the test of time. India also has strong friendly relationship with most of the ex Soviet Republics in Central Asia. However the same cannot be said of Western Europe in the real sense.
Except for France, India really does not have any strategic relationship with other West European Countries. Britain acts to be a friend but most of the time it keeps playing the GREAT GAME with India, as they are unable to break out from the BRITISH RAJ Mind-set. In name of DEMOCRACY etc they keep trying to “teach” India forgetting that India is the mother of all democracies.
For Western Europe India is a region to diversify its trade basket. For Western European Countries, India is a natural ally to reduce their dependence on China. The evolving multipolar world deserves new areas of cooperation and new friends. Hence both India and Western European Countries must synchronise their growth and reach goals. It will ensure the prosperity of both regions.
India -Europe relations were showing signs of recovery but the Ukraine Conflict has put a lot of strain over it. It has still not sunk into West European minds that though India is now a major power which does not take dictations from others not even USA. Also it will not abandon its time tested friend Russia.
As it is in the ongoing conflict is direct fall out of Western Shenanigans and Russia is merely defending its own interests. What will be West European reaction if China signs a strategic deal with Mexico ? We are all aware of the Cuban crisis that had been predicated the USA in a similar kind of situation.
Therefore EU leaders must try to find a position for the EU amid the changing dynamics of major power relations. Europe’s strategic autonomy, suggests that Europe can neither blindly stand with the US, nor get lured into the China’s baits. It goes without saying that the EU’s policy toward India currently faces contradictions and dilemmas, but there can be no doubt that various sectors hope to maintain the possibility of cooperation with India.
This creates a certain foundation for the return of a rational and pragmatic attitude to Europe’s India policy. In fact, regardless of the ups and downs in the political and diplomatic relations between India and Europe in recent years, India’s role in the prosperity and growth prospects pursued by the EU has only increased.
In fact trade between India and Europe has continued to grow steadily in recent years and both sides are working on a Trade Agreement. In light of the impact on financial stability in Europe from the Silicon Valley Bank crisis and the significant amount of manufacturing taken away from Europe by the US since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU should be even more aware of this fact.
Europe, could learn from South Asia and Southeast Asia and repeatedly learn from India : don’t force us to take sides, we have more important problems to solve. In fact, having understood where their own interests lie and what the more important issues are, it should not be difficult for them to answer the question of how to cooperate with India.
They must accept that India makes its own decisions and from Indian point of World view. There are no fundamental conflicts of interest between India and Europe. Had there been then India would have been supremely vindictive towards all things British. The common interests of Indians and West Europeans far outweigh the divergences. This fundamental aspect should be recognized in Europe’s “strategic autonomy. “
Cordial relationship is the main tone and cooperation should be the overall goal of European policy towards India. India has already expressed the attitude to the European side on all occasions that all interactions have to be based on equality. Europe must refrain from any kind of interference. Any superiority complex will be just brushed aside and this time quite harshly. India will not hesitate to strike back in equal measures.
India will always welcome interactions with Europeans with open arms and is willing to engage in practical dialogue and communication, trade and commerce. However, the blossoming of India -Europe relations requires both sides to meet each other half way.
