Rebooting India’s relations with the West

Context

India’s diplomatic landscape is progressively getting complex, with the nation needing to handle its tensions with China and collaboration with Russia while concurrently growing ties with the West. This balancing act is particularly tough amid the rising Russia-Ukraine crisis and growing military tensions between China and its neighbors in the Western Pacific.

India, a regular G7 participant, has a vested interest in strengthening partnership with the “collective West.” With the West also focused on bringing India into global governance frameworks, the upcoming G7 conference (hosted by Italy) provides an excellent opportunity for India to re-establish connections with Western states.

Geopolitical context of the ‘WEST’

• Geographic Scope – The term “West” has traditionally referred to Western Europe and the areas it colonized, especially North America and Australia. There is debate over Eastern Europe’s inclusion, with some considering it part of the old Soviet sphere of influence.
• Cultural Features – Western civilization leans significantly on the intellectual and political traditions of ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing reason, logic, and individual rights. While religious practices have become more diversified, Christianity, particularly Catholicism and Protestantism, has greatly affected Western values and institutions.
• Political and Economic Systems –

1. Democracy: The concept of representative governance with individual rights and liberties is central to Western political systems.
2. Capitalism: Free-market economies with private ownership and competition define most Western economies.
3. Rule of Law: The West prioritizes a legal system founded on established laws and procedures, ensuring fairness and accountability.

Significance for India to Reboot its relations with West

• Managing the China Challenge – China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, as well as its border disputes with India, provide considerable challenges. The West, particularly the United States, sees China as a strategic competitor. Improved India-West relations will enable better coordination in addressing China’s multifaceted challenge through economic, political, and military means.
• Maintaining Harmonious Relations with Russia – India’s long-standing military cooperation with Russia has caused problems for the West, particularly during the conflict in Ukraine, when India dramatically increased its imports of Russian crude oil in defiance of Western sanctions.
• Handling the US-China Technological Decoupling – One of India’s biggest challenges is coping with the growing US-China tech warfare and the division of technologies like 5G and AI. Remaining Non-Aligned in this area could be detrimental to India’s scientific ambitions and economic development.
• Reshaping the Global Trade Architecture – With the WTO’s challenges and the rise of plurilateral arrangements like Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, the global trade order is undergoing a seismic shift. India needs to be proactive in order to make sure that its concerns over things like data localization, e-commerce, and digital taxation are taken into account while the West seeks to establish a rules-based system that serves its interests.
• Navigating the Geopolitics of Climate Change and Energy Transition – A strategic struggle is emerging around climate change, with the West advocating for a faster shift to renewable energy sources and the possible weaponization of technologies like carbon capture and green hydrogen.
• Working Together on Regional Connectivity – Western cooperation is needed to finance, develop capacity, and align with the larger rules-based order in order to realize India’s vision of an integrated regional connectivity framework, whether through programs like the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor.

Point of Frictions between India and West

• Disparities in Global Governance and Reforms – To adapt to shifting power dynamics, India has long pushed for changes in global governance organizations such as the World Bank and the UN Security Council. But some Westerners have been hesitant to back reforms that would lessen their power in these organizations, which has caused conflict with India’s ambitions to play a bigger role in the world economy.
• Technology Transfers and Intellectual Property Rights –  India’s approach to intellectual property rights (IPR) and its attempts to provide reasonably priced generic medications have frequently resulted in conflicts with governments and pharmaceutical companies in the West. Afraid of possible diversion or leakage, the West has likewise been hesitant to send critical technologies to India.
• Strategic Autonomy vs. Alignment Expectations – The pursuit of strategic autonomy by India, which is based on its non-aligned past, frequently conflicts with Western expectations of closer alignment on matters such as the Russia-Ukraine War. India views its multi-alignment strategy as a practical foreign policy of all-alignment that maintains its influence and negotiation power, but the West views it as a reluctance to choose sides.
• Difference of Perspectives on Regional Security – India has occasionally taken a different stance on regional security issues than the West, especially when it comes to those in its immediate neighborhood. For example, India has clashed with Western policies and expectations due to its hesitancy to step in during Myanmar’s political crisis and its cautious approach to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
• Khalistan Issue – A major source of contention is the revival of the Khalistan movement, which is being fanned by certain segments of the Indian diaspora living in Western nations like Canada and the UK. These countries have been accused by India of undermining bilateral relationships by hosting pro-Khalistan individuals and serving as a forum for anti-Indian actions.
• Defense Cooperation and Arms Exports – India has caused a rift with the West, especially the United States, over its defense cooperation with Russia and its acquisition of Russian weaponry, such as the S-400 missile defense system.

Measures to Reconcile relations between India and West

• Establish a Plurilateral Tech Alliance – India and the West should consider forming a plurilateral technological alliance with the goal of creating and defining standards for important and cutting-edge technologies such as cyber security, AI, and quantum computing.
• Establish a Renewable Energy and Climate Innovation Fund – India and the West should work together to establish a fund specifically aimed at financing and expediting research, development, and implementation of clean energy solutions, in order to resolve disagreements over climate change and the energy transition.
• Joint Framework for Responsible Space Exploration – As space exploration and commercialization accelerate, India and the West could develop a joint framework for responsible space exploration and governance. This framework could address issues like the sustainable utilization of space resources, the prevention of space debris, and the peaceful use of space, fostering cooperation while respecting each partner’s strategic interests.
• Concentrate on Regional Trade Agreements – India can investigate minor regional trade agreements with particular nations, such as the recent TEPA with European Free Trade Association, even though concluding a pan-India-EU FTA may prove difficult. This supports a range of economic interests and enables quicker advancement.
• Issue-Based Alignment – India needs to develop an “issue-based alignment” framework for certain domains that allows for cooperation on areas of mutual concern while respecting India’s independent stance on other matters.

Way Forward

In the pursuit of a balanced foreign policy, India’s ‘Way Forward’ should focus on enhancing partnerships with Western nations while preserving its strategic autonomy. This entails actively participating in global governance reforms, fostering economic and technological cooperation, and aligning on climate change initiatives. India must also navigate the complexities of regional security and global trade architectures, ensuring its interests are represented in a rapidly evolving international landscape. By doing so, India can strengthen its position as a pivotal player in global affairs, capable of managing its relationships with both neighboring and Western countries effectively.

SOURCE: The Indian Express

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