The familiar world order will not return. What India and EU can build, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were chief guests for India’s Republic Day celebrations and the EU-India Summit on January 27.
• The EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), after being abandoned for over a decade, was resurrected in 2021 with greater ambition and scope, with negotiations nearly complete.
• India and Europe are seeking collaboration in building blocks of the digital age like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductors to prevent a global duopoly.
• France has been a strong strategic partner to India for decades, with consistent support in the UN and collaboration in defence, nuclear, and space.

Detailed Insights:

• The US President Donald Trump's policies have strained the transatlantic relationship, creating unprecedented strategic pressure on the EU, leading them to seek a new sovereign future and alliances with countries like India.
• India's strategic response to global shifts includes expanding domestic capacities, affirming strategic autonomy, reframing traditional relationships, and diversifying partnerships, making a partnership with Europe valuable.
• The FTA aims to diversify trade and investment, deepen India’s integration into global value chains, stimulate resilient supply chains, and foster industrial and technological collaboration, enhancing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
• India and Europe are cooperating in new conflict domains like maritime, underwater, space, and cyberspace, focusing on operations, capacity-building, and global regulation, with counter-terrorism efforts targeting sources, especially in Pakistan.
• Challenges in EU-India relations include differing relationships with Russia and China, clashes in multilateral forums, and negative public perceptions, requiring continuous engagement, mutual sensitivity, and dialogue.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Strategic Autonomy: A country's ability to make independent decisions in foreign policy and defense, free from external influence.
• Multilateralism: A system of international relations based on cooperation and collaboration among multiple countries.
• Global South: Refers to countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, often characterized by developing economies and complex socio-political landscapes.