NEW DELHI: After high-level engagement with the US, India is turning attention to its key strategic partners in Europe. Foreign secretary Harsh Shringla heads out on Thursday for London, Paris and Berlin, where he is expected to hold a wide range of consultations with foreign offices, parliamentarians and academia.
The idea, according to sources, is to restart intensive engagements in European capitals after over six months of Covid-imposed isolation.
In its second term, the Modi government has placed special emphasis on Europe for its foreign policy outreach. That was tested by the response to India’s decision to neuter Article 370 in J&K and the consequent imposition of restrictions in the Union Territory and detention of political leaders (particularly on the issue of human rights).
However, India has still to help shape the European view on a couple of key foreign policy and security issues — China and Indo-Pacific— while building up greater development and security relationships on defence, climate and energy. Covid has sharpened the need for closer cooperation on healthcare as well as global economic recovery post-pandemic, officials said.
The growing closeness between India and the US also means that New Delhi is taking a greater interest in transatlantic relations. The Trump Administration had an ‘onagain-off-again’ relationship with Europe, but a potential Biden Administration could recast the US-Europe relationship, opening up many more opportunities for India.
Shringla will address think tanks— Policy Exchange in London and IFRI in Paris— as part of his outreach, besides meeting business leaders in these nations.
From a virtually uncritical embrace of China, European countries have been nuancing their positions, particularly on the issue of technology access and 5G. From France to Poland, Sweden to UK, there is an open rejection of China’s Huawei for 5G. From France to Germany and UK, there is also a greater understanding and acceptance of the Indo-Pacific as a geo-political reality.
In the past few months, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar have engaged with Europe virtually.