Abstract
For more than a decade, the European Union (EU) has been struggling to deal with one crisis after another. This is in sharp contrast to its earlier successful projects like the EU enlargement and introduction of a single currency, the Euro. As a result of these developments, the image of Europe/EU in Indian media and policy circles has taken a beating. Even earlier, most of the Indian policymakers and analysts were somewhat sceptical of the EU’s role as a major strategic player in Asia. In fact, the EU has hardly been a factor in India’s foreign policy debates in the last 25 years. This is despite the fact that the EU is India’s strategic partner since 2004 and a major trade, investment and technology partner. One of the major factors responsible for this situation could be relative lack of understanding among the Indian foreign policy elite about EU institutional processes and competencies as well as changes taking place in the organisation over the decades.
However, the book under review by Ambassador Bhaswati Mukherjee shows that there are exceptions. She has served as a Joint Secretary dealing with the West Europe within the Indian Ministry of External Affairs as well as Indian ambassador to France and the Netherlands. As a result, she is not only capable to deal with the issues related to India and the EU but also competent to provide insider’s view as the subtitle of the book suggests.
The book is what the author calls ‘a narrative about Europe meeting India’ (p. xiii). After a very brief account of India–Europe historical linkages, the author introduces European political and economic integration intricacies to the reader. This is useful, particularly for an Indian reader who may not be fully familiar with the EU institutional structures and competencies.
The title of chapter three ‘India-Europe relations through the prism of the EU’ is slightly misleading as many issues are mixed up in this chapter. Chapters four and five are descriptions of various summit meetings taken place since 2000 as well as Joint Action Plan. The next chapter deals with European challenges, mainly Brexit and its implications for India. Chapter six again deals with the review of India–EU summits till 12th summit.
After a very promising start, the momentum in India–EU relations was already lost by 2009. This happened due to the global economic slowdown, crisis in some of the Eurozone economies and deadlock in India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Despite these setbacks, summits were still happening regularly. The author, however, pointed out that ‘by February 2012, it was clear that the partnership was facing a real crisis’ (p. 196). She explains that Europe was facing so many challenges at that time. She feels that these issues had already ‘beginning to negatively affect EU’s image among Indian media, public opinion and policymakers’. Still, Mukherjee argues that ‘these issues were never raised or discussed’ (p. 196). In her opinion, ‘instead of collective self denial’, Europe should have made an effort to project itself as a major global power capable of resolving its problems to Indian policymakers.
No bilateral summit took place between 2012 and 2016. One of the main reasons for this was perhaps a crisis in Indo-Italian bilateral relations due to the Italian marine case. And Federica Maria Mogherini, who was dealing with this issue as an Italian Foreign Minister, had become High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. There were many stories in the Indian media, which tried to link this episode with the postponement of a bilateral summit in 2014. This also shows how bilateral disputes were able to impact broader India–EU ties. The author argues that the ‘thirteenth summit [in 2016] was able to arrest, to a large extent, the decline in partnership’ (p. 217), Still, she concludes that ‘only time can decide if EU will ever matter to India in political and hard power terms’ (p. 218).
The book also has a full chapter on India–EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement, which both are negotiating since 2007. The core of this relationship is still economics. This is also an area in which the EU institutions have full competency to make a deal. After several rounds, the negotiations are frozen since 2013. Although summits meetings have resumed since 2016, trade negotiations have not re-started. The author feels that ‘deal making requires realism from both sides’ (p. 224). The agenda of negotiations has covered not just trade in goods and services but also investment, public procurement, intellectual property and geographical indicators, competition policy and so on. Therefore, both were aiming at not just a simple FTA but a comprehensive pact. Mukherjee argues that the comprehensive scope of this proposed agreement ‘remains the root of the problem’ (p. 227). Therefore, it was perhaps better to ‘do the doable’ first and go for a comprehensive agreement later. She seems not very confident for any early positive outcome and concludes that ‘the road ahead is difficult one’ (p. 249).
In a brief concluding chapter, the author outlines the key changes taking place in the Indian and EU foreign policy. She feels that there is a remarkable continuity in Indian foreign policy. However, Prime Minister ‘Modi has taken important measures to reinvent, redirect and reinvigorate Indian foreign policy imperatives’ (p. 268). As a result, the India–EU relationship has acquired a new momentum. She also argues that the International Solar Alliance would consolidate this partnership. Mukherjee strongly feels that to develop a common strategic vision, ‘the EU will have to recalibrate its relations with China’ (p. 269). In addition, the EU has to amend its policy of providing generalised system of preferences (GSP) plus facility to Pakistan. The author seems to believe that despite all the crises, Europe may emerge stronger. If India is also effectively able to demonstrate its emerging great power status to the EU, she feels ‘the rest of the 21st century could then belong to India and the EU’ (p. 283).
Despite the fact that the EU is India’s very important strategic partner, very few books are written on the subject. Therefore, the volume by Ambassador Mukherjee is a welcome and very useful addition to the literature on India–EU ties. She has clearly shown grasp over the subject. Still, most of the narrative in the book is official meetings, joint declarations and views of various authors. Ambassador Mukherjee could have added many more ‘inside’ stories and mood during the summit meetings and other gatherings. This could have provided the policymakers’ inside view of this relationship. At few places, she did try to dispel some myths and provided some useful information through what she calls ‘informed sources’. These stories, however, were very restricted. May be Ambassador Mukherjee would write another book with more candour. Overall, the book is an important addition to the subject. It will be difficult for anyone researching on India–EU relations to ignore this volume.