International Relations (India And Major Powers) by Viraj C. Rane

Model Answer

Question #1. Till recently the European Union is present in Asia merely as an economic block, however this has changed with the EU Indo-Pacific strategy. Discuss the prospect of EU-India strategic alignment.

Approach :

• The question focuses on India -EU strategic partnership.
• The tone of the question is positive and futuristic ( you need to highlight the importance of EU )
• Introduce by summarising the new EU-indo Pacific strategy.
• Elaborate the significance of the strategic partnerships. ( Economy + security)
• Enumerate the challenges and conclude with a positive note.

The European Union (EU) is set to push for a closer relationship and stronger presence in the Indo-Pacific, as released in the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

• For long, the EU has just been present as an economic actor in Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. The strategic and political developments in this region did not fall in its immediate radar.
• The EU had not engaged with the idea of the Indo-Pacific and neither did it define its policy priorities for the region.
• The reason for this hesitance was that, given the strong economic relationship of some member states of the EU with China, the Union feared that doing so would indicate alignment with the US and would alienate China.
• Recently, members like Germany, France, and the Netherlands have all started embracing the notion of the Indo-Pacific and are also integrating the Indo-Pacific in their own national security strategies.

Therefore, these EU member states have been the driving force behind pushing Brussels to adopt the Indo-Pacific as a strategic concept.The EU is feeling the need to play a bigger role in Asia, to bear greater responsibility and to have an impact on the affairs of this region.

prospects of EU-India strategic alignment:

India and the EU have a common interest in each other's security, prosperity and sustainable development. They can contribute jointly to a safer, cleaner and more stable world. The prospects of this strategic partnerships can be listed as follow :

• Economic Ties:
  • Bilateral trade: The EU is India’s largest trading partner, while India is the EU’s 9th largest trading partner. It is the second-largest destination for Indian exports after the United States.
  • Investment: The EU’s share in foreign investment inflows to India has more than doubled from 8% to 18% in the last decade. This makes the EU an important foreign investor in India.
• Defence & Security : EU and India have instituted several mechanisms for greater cooperation on pressing security challenges like counterterrorism, maritime security, and nuclear non-proliferation.
• Climate Change: EU and India also underline their highest political commitment to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC despite the US withdrawing from the same.
  • The EU and India also cooperate closely on the Clean Ganga initiative and deal with other water-related challenges in a coordinated manner.
• Reducing dependence on China: It is necessary for both sides as it is making them highly vulnerable to Chinese aggression.
• Promotion of multilateralism: Both sides are facing issues related to the US-China trade war and uncertainty of the US’ policies. They have a common interest in avoiding a polarized world and developing a rules-based order.
• Conformity over Indo-Pacific: The Indo-Pacific is the main conduit for global trade and energy flows. Rule-based Indo-pacific is of everyone’s interest with the EU no exception.

Major limitations to the ties:

• Deadlock over BTIA: The negotiations for a Broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) were held between 2007 to 2013 but have remained dormant/suspended since then.
• Brexit altercations: In the longer term of balancing of global powers, a smaller Europe without the key military and economic force UK, is much weaker in the wake of an ambitious China and an increasingly protectionist US.
• PThe EU primarily remains a trade bloc: This has resulted in a lack of substantive agreements on matters such as regional security and connectivity.
• Undue references to sovereign concerns: The European Parliament was critical of both the Indian government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Conclusion:

A close bilateral relation between India and the EU has far-reaching economic, political and strategic implications on the crisis-driven international order.

Both sides should realise this potential and must further the growth of the bilateral ties with a strong political will.

Question #2. China continuous infrastructure development along the LAC (line of actual control) has increased the security vulnerabilities of India. Do you think that India needs to revisit its Tibet policy to secure its interest in the eastern sector?

Approach:

• Introduce with India-China confrontation along LAC and contextually link with the question ( 40 words)
• Write about the India’s Tibet policy and recent shift ( 80 words)
• Give reasons about reasons why India needs to revisit its Tibet policy ( 90 words)
• In conclusion discuss the future course of India China relations. ( 40 words)

Hints:

India China relations relation’s have become strained since the Galwan clashes of June 2020 and has made the situation along LAC (line of actual control) particularly tense. The continued deployment of forces and the resulting standoff along the LAC has bought into limelight the difference between infrastructure development of both the countries across the border. In view of the downturn in India-China relations, the time has come to reboot India’s policy towards China, especially on the issue of Tibet. 

Indian stance towards Tibet post integration into china

• After China’s full accession of Tibet in 1950, that China repudiated the convention and the McMahon line that divided the two countries.
• 1954: India signed an agreement with China, agreeing to recognize Tibet as “Tibet region of China”.
• 1959: following the Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama (spiritual leader of Tibetan people) and many of his followers fled to India.
• Former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru gave him and Tibetan refugees shelter, and helped in setting up the Tibetan government in exile.
• Since 1959, more than a lakh Tibetan refugees have been sheltered in India and they have even set up the Tibetan government in exile, which continues to hold elections.
• But the official Indian policy is that the Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader, and the Tibetan community in India is not allowed to undertake any political activity.
• Despite frequent protests from China, especially when the Dalai Lama is invited to an official event or travels to Arunachal Pradesh, most governments have held the line on what is seen as a contradictory stand.

Recent Shift in Policy:

• In the event of increasing tensions between India and China, there has been a shift in India’s Tibet Policy.
• This shift in the policy, earmarks the Indian government actively managing with the Dalai Lama in public forums.
• For Example, in 2014, Prime Minister of India (PM) had invited the head of the Tibetan government in exile in India, Lobsang Sangay, to his swearing in ceremony.

Reasons why India needs to revisit its Tibet policy

Infrastructure development by China along LAC:

• Railway link between Lhasa and eastern sector of LAC.
• Setting up of 5G telecom units along LAC.
• Establishment of logistic nodes, housing facilities, heliports along the LAC.
• Establishment of border villages near Arunachal Pradesh.
• Bridge connecting north and south banks of Pangong Tso lake.
• Building of new surface to air missile locations for advance air defence.

All these ramping up of infrastructure has a serious security consequence for India given the fact that China and Pakistan are close strategic allies and any development on LAC also affects LoC (line of control) thus creating a two-front situation for India.

In this context, many analysts are demanding a review of India Tibet policy since most of the 3500km long LAC, India shares it with Tibet. While India current Tibet policy is to not antagonise the China and India currently recognize Dalai Lama only as a spiritual leader and Tibetans are not allowed to undertook any political activities inside India, many factor have demands an introspection of current policy:

• There are reports of attempt by PLA (people’s liberation army) to recruit Tibetan people in Border militia.
• Rapid exploitation of water resources by China in Tibet which can affect downstream regions in India.
• Chinese policy of Sinization of Tibet region which involve change in demography of the region.
• China known intent to control the succession of current Dalai Lama.

However, given the fact that Tibet is considered a core issue by China, any review of Tibet policy will have serious implication on bilateral relations. Still India too adopts a law like Tibet policy and support act of 2020 like USA since it currently only has a Tibetan rehabilitation policy of 2014.

Conclusion:

Given the complexity of situation, any attempt of policy recalibration should be done scrupulously. Given the massive stake on India in the Tibet, we need to adopt a proactive rather than reactive stance hence an internal policy dialogue needs to be initiated so that we can response appropriately to the changing situation.