The political scientist spoke about the growing interest of EU countries in India
Natalia Eremina, a professor at St. Petersburg State University, told Izvestia that the EU countries and, in particular, Germany are interested in strengthening India as a counterweight to China.
"By playing on the contradictions in the relations between these two countries, they can strengthen their own positions. The EU has lost Russia as an important economic partner, and cooperation with China is fraught with increasing restrictions and risks. Therefore, Brussels needs new markets, sources of resources and reliable partners. Thus, in the current geopolitical and economic situation, India is becoming an extremely attractive and logical choice for the European Union," the expert believes.
She notes that in the current situation, the EU countries are turning towards the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the parties are slowly reviewing their cooperation with China.
"Beijing has become a very powerful player both in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world, but cooperation with it is conditioned by political problems. Due to the tax war unleashed by the United States for the economy due to investment losses, cooperation with China no longer brings the same income and opportunities as before," the expert explained.
According to the expert, in this context, the EU countries choose cooperation with India.
"It is developing very rapidly, it is a powerful economic partner for many countries, and in many ways it is a partner that has its own resources and funds, and is also ready to look for interesting investment projects, including in Europe," the political scientist noted.
The analyst stressed that Indian entrepreneurs are now buying up enterprises in European countries, including those related to the automotive, engine and engine industries, that is, those that are important for the development of the economy.
"The European Union and, in particular, Germany are also interested in the experience of India within the framework of digital opportunities, as schools related to digital innovation are actively developing there. Now India has signed a corresponding partnership agreement with the United States, so many large corporations consider it a significant partner," the analyst is sure.
According to Eremina, there is an opinion in Germany that India is an ideal source for attracting highly qualified specialists.
"For this purpose, special programs have even been created to simplify the visa regime. The partnership with India promises Germany significant economic dividends. A striking example is the arms trade: India can buy German weapons, which will become an additional source of investment in the German economy," the expert is sure.
Earlier, Washington called on European countries to follow its example and impose sanctions against New Delhi. According to India Today, citing sources, the proposed restrictions include a complete shutdown of oil and gas purchases from India. The administration of US President Donald Trump also suggested that Brussels consider additional duties on Indian goods.
On September 2, Trump announced that he was not going to reduce import duties of 50% imposed on India. Restrictions on the state were imposed, among other things, for the purchase of Russian oil.
On August 26, Reuters reported that trade duties of 50%, which were previously announced by Trump, have already begun to apply to India. It was noted that the tariffs affected goods, which included precious stones, jewelry, shoes, sports equipment, as well as furniture and chemicals.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that the United States and the European Union accuse India of buying Russian oil, but at the same time they continue to buy fossil fuels from New Delhi.
Read more about the escalation of the confrontation between the EU and the United States in Southeast Asia in the Izvestia article:
To spite Trump: EU decided to strengthen cooperation with India
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
