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Why the EU should learn from Delhi on growing its independence in the Middle East

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As the US takes a backseat on setting the tone for global foreign policy, the international arena has opened up to the possibility of stronger strategic partnerships. Earlier this month, the Indian government and the EU agreed to resume negotiations for a potential free trade agreement between the bloc and Delhi under “comprehensive and mutually beneficial terms”, according to Anupryia Patel, India’s Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, writes Ambassador Anil Trigunayat (pictured).

A successful EU-India free trade agreement could signal Brussels’ willingness to adopt a more independent foreign policy outside of its immediate spheres of influence. Indeed, growing ties between Delhi and Brussels are seen by some as an effective means to side-line Chinese regional ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

As the EU looks to bolster its foreign policy independent from its immediate spheres of influence, particularly in the wake of declining US hegemony, it will start seeking a more independent foreign policy in other regions, particularly in the Middle East. Here, I see similarities between a more independent EU in the Middle East with India’s approach to the Gulf.

India has successfully dodged the potential disadvantages of a US vacuum in the Middle East by looking to establish its own bilateral relations, while also align itself with forces of tolerance and moderation in the region.

As the Middle East transitions from open conflict and begins to take stock of the different divides and political alliances that have long shaped regional dynamics, particularly in in the wake of the US’ retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan, the EU will undoubtedly have to begin cementing its own strategic relationships and ambitions, and for this, their traditional allies in the Gulf can, and should, provide a good starting point to promote stability and security in the region.

At the start of this month, Austria proved to set an example for Europe’s embrace of a zero-tolerance approach to extremism by welcoming UAE Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, in Vienna solidifying both countries’ bilateral relations and commitment to ending radical extremism. Since the onset of the Modi era, Delhi and Abu Dhabi have moved from having a transactional buyer-seller dynamic, to a strategic partnership that encompasses politics, economy, and issues of mutual interest. Both countries have since boosted their bilateral trade and have signed several agreements encompassing non-traditional areas like defence, counter terrorism, cyber security, space and nuclear energy as well as healthcare.

Most recently, India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are reviving negotiations for potential free trade agreement, under the impetus from Abu Dhabi to restart talks which have been stalled since 2008. Estimates state that between 2019-20, India’s hydrocarbon trade with the region was worth $62 billion, a figure that amounts to approximately 36% of India’s total hydrocarbon trade.

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With regards to the Gulf, Europe has continued to focus its relationship on economic matters. The region continues to be a major trading bloc with the EU, boasting a total of EUR 97.1 billion EUR 50 billion in trade in goods throughout 2020. However, the Gulf can offer more than trade for Europe by advancing tolerance, innovation, and moderation in the region. The recent Vienna visit is an important example of this, but there is little evidence of it being replicated by other EU member states.

The Gulf overall has shown us that it is willing to converge, ally with, and partner with moderate nations. It has been looking to diversify its economy through socio-economic reforms and a long-term vision by providing a unique image of itself as an open and high-tech modern nation through its tolerance-first approach.

No wonder Pope Francis’ visit, the country’s World Tolerance Summits, as well as its allocation of land to India for building a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, are seen as secular efforts in that direction. India, a secular democracy with the second largest Muslim population, obviously appreciates these developments that tend to enhance social harmony and economic development.

As the EU looks to recalibrate its foreign policies in the wake of a decline in US geopolitical hegemony, looking at successful examples in other regional partnerships will be increasingly important. Much like their intent to counter a rising China in the Indo-Pacific by embracing a moderate ally like India, the EU can learn from Delhi’s strategic relationship with the Gulf, with the hope of gaining valuable lessons in promoting moderation, economic progress, and tolerance in the Middle East.

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