India and the European Union

The thesis in this article is that India and the European Union (EU) have the potential to become major players challenging and increasingly interdependent international system. Their common adherence to democracy, human rights and common perspectives on terrorism, poverty alleviation, energy security and sustainable growth provide a sound basis. Although since 2000 the content has been increasingly political, its thrust has remained economic. Their ’strategic partnership’ formalised in 2004 is horizontally comprehensive and vertically diverse in tapping the three major pillars of EU’s political structure: Government, Parliament and Civil Society. India does not have such a complex institutional architecture in its relations with any other major global player. India’s long-standing bilateral relations with EU majors—UK, France and Germany—and others has restricted EU’s salience while giving the latter an additional dimension in their bilateral relations. The mandate of the strategic partnership embodied in the Joint Action Plan will determine whether EU and India relations realise their full potential. It will not be an easy passage between the European Union of twenty-seven member-states and the Indian Union of twenty-eight states. It will depend on a change in mind-sets and a strong political will on both sides.