Amaia Sánchez Cacicedo, Associate Analyst for South Asia, EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)

Download EU and India 2024 Elections: What Next for their Relationship?

The 2024 elections in India and the EU are particularly significant but the outcome of these elections is unlikely to derail the growing mutual strategic interest that underpins EU-India relations. What this election cycle can do, however, is provide a fresh start in how both parties express the expectations and limitations of their bilateral relationship.

The EU and India share common concerns about the need to guarantee security and economic prosperity in a volatile global environment. The EU is coming to terms with being ‘at war’ with Russia while India sees China as its biggest threat. Both face the challenge of economic dependency on China . Additionally, the EU and India seek a ‘middle path’ to navigate the opposing poles of China and the U.S., aiming to secure their strategic autonomy, which India terms “multi-alignment” and the EU refers to as “strategic interdependence.”

To deepen and sustain their relationship in the long-term, strategic alignment alone is not enough. Key, micro-level steps are advancing the EU-India relationship based on shared interests. However, each partner must also understand where the other is coming from in terms of worldviews and aspirations. Both the EU and India must acknowledge where their strategic interests can best align within their relationship and work around their respective normative claims.