| Author (Corporate) | European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Briefing |
| Series Details | September 2017 |
| Publication Date | September 2017 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog |
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The EU and India – two multicultural democracies with a constitutional structure containing elements of federalism – potentially have much in common. However, they face different geopolitical concerns; the fact that each party's attention is focused on its own neighbours (in the case of New Delhi, this translates into a 'Chinese obsession'), has prevented them from developing the strategic partnership they had agreed upon in 2004. The stalemate in negotiations for a free trade agreement, which started in 2007 and reached deadlock in 2013, has also hindered progress towards closer relations. In India, although the EU does not get much media coverage, it is generally viewed positively. Both the Indian leadership and the general public have a stronger perception of individual Member States than of the EU as an entity, whereas the Indian elite is more aware of the European Union. Several Indian observers regret the EU's attitude of 'preaching and finger pointing'. Even though the latest EU-India Summit held in 2016 did not succeed in making a breakthrough in the negotiations for a free trade agreement, it endorsed the EU-India Agenda for Action 2020 as a common roadmap aimed at reviving the strategic partnership between the two parties. While waiting for economic relations to develop further, the two could focus on other possible areas of cooperation such as maritime security and coordination of activities in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Author: Enrico D'Ambrogio |
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| Source Link | http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/608679/EPRS_BRI(2017)608679_EN.pdf |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe, Southern Asia |
