On 8 May, Portugal will host the firstEU-India leaders’ meeting in the EU27 format. This development reflects the shared ambition of both sides to further deepen their strategic partnership. The meeting of the EU-India High-Level Dialogue on Trade Investment, early this year, is the most recent evidence of the mutual interest of both Delhi and Brussels in developing relations in all areas. Spain has also shown the will to enhance its relations with India, both through the Strategic Vision for Spain in Asia 2018-2022 and the Strategy for External Action 2021-2024. The recent release of the Indo-Pacific strategy of the EU illustrates that this region is now fully on the agenda of the European diplomacy and foreign policy think tanks. Hence, the time is ripe for a debate on how to strengthen EU-Indian relations and how Spain and Portugal can contribute to that process.
When referring to EU-India relations one thinks mostly of trade and investment issues. They are, indeed, crucially important for both partners. But the global pandemic has shown us that sustainable and mutually beneficial relations need to go from economic to geostrategic, since what we once saw as merely economics is profoundly geopolitical. How can the EU and India move down that strategic road and build resilience for its institutions, economies, and peoples? How can they each develop a strategic autonomy open to other partners at both regional and global level? What role will they be able to carve on the new global environment that will emerge from this pandemic?
Participants:
Welcoming words:
- Charles Powell, Director, Elcano Royal Institute. (@CharlesTPowell)
- João Mira-Gomes, Ambassador of Portugal to Spain.
- Sanjay Verma, Ambassador of India to Spain
Introductory remarks:
- Dammu Ravi, Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
- Francisco André, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Portugal.
- Carmen Cano, Deputy Director General for South and East Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Spain.
Expert panel:
- Rubén Campos, Senior Research Fellow, Elcano Royal Institute. (@RubenCamposP)
- Harsh V. Pant, Head of the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation.
- Constantino Xavier, Fellow, Foreign Policy and Security, Centre for Social and Economic Progress. (@ConstantinoX)
- Moderator: Mario Esteban, Senior Analyst, Elcano Royal Institute. (@wizma9)
Tuesday 27th April 2021, from 12:00 to 13:30 h. CEST (UTC+2) – (11:00 am Lisboa time | 15:30 pm New Delhi time)