Modi’s Brussels visit can reactivate engagement
In a sense, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's engagements in Brussels earlier this week helped round up his larger European engagement last year when he visited Germany and France but held no consultations with the European Union. India's relations with the EU have stagnated in recent years due to several factors, at play both in India and the EU. The India-EU summit, which had been held every year since 2000, had not been organised since 2012. It is against this backdrop that the 13th summit, which was held on Wednesday, must be seen. Though some of the structural problems that have plagued India-EU ties over the years remain, the summit offered an opportunity to pull the relationship out of a morass, especially following the change of leadership both in New Delhi and at the EU. Towards this end, the EU-India Agenda for Action 2020, endorsed at the summit, is a valuable resource. It paves the way for regular bilateral deliberations on security, foreign policy and human rights issues as well as more cooperation on global issues such as environment, urban development, science and technology, space, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Four focus areas have been highlighted: The fight against terrorism, a partnership for clean energy and climate, a water agreement, and a common agenda on migration and mobility. These are in keeping with India's own priorities and can be expected to leverage European expertise. In terms of trade and investment, it is notable that the India-EU free trade agreement, in the works for several years, is yet to be completed, though the two sides have now reportedly re-engaged in discussions. The 28-member grouping is India's single largest regional trading partner but most of the business happens with just a handful of member states. Another issue that remains unresolved is that of the Italian Marines. The joint statement put out after the summit has both parties sticking to their old positions the EU highlighted Italy's concerns about the case dragging out for more than three years now while India underlined the need for justice to the families of the fishermen killed.
At the bilateral level, talks with Belgium seemed fruitful. The focus was on trade Belgium is India's second largest trade partner in goods within the EU while India is Belgium's second largest export destination outside the EU. However, most of this trade is in diamonds. Now, there is talk of diversifying the trade basket. Additionally, the Modi Government is seeking Belgian assistance in the renewable energy, urban development and river conservation sectors. India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has a memorandum of understanding with Belgium; a joint working group met earlier in March to identify priority projects. The cherry on the cake, however, has been the activation of the optical infrared telescope (Asia’s biggest), developed jointly by India and Belgium.