EU–India Relations and New Political Realities: Normative Convergence and Its Implications for Shared Strategic Concerns

Abstract

This chapter highlights the historically convergent democratic values of the European Union and India and what that means for their growing common strategic interests. EU’s foreign policy historically showcased a strong commitment towards democratic norms. India’s independence from Britain in 1947 made it the world’s largest democracy. Thus, the political normative commitments of both the EU and India have long showcased convergence. However, recent political developments have prompted strategic prudence in EU–India relations and shared normative convergence is a convenient lynchpin. In particular, the chapter analyzes the impact of three recent developments in the region and their implications for EU–India relations: the rise of China in South Asia; second, the impact of the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India on the normative convergence between the EU and India; finally, the chapter tackles the prospects of EU-Indian relations in an era of increasing American withdrawal from international politics.