An Alliance of Democracies with India at its Core

Context:

India, Europe, and the United States must regroup in 2025 to foster a partnership rooted in democratic values and global stability, capitalising on shared interests.

Realigning EU-India Relations Beyond Trade Deals

For 17 years, EU-India relations primarily focused on sporadic Free Trade Agreement negotiations, often stalling progress in other strategic areas.
Need for Change: While a comprehensive trade deal is desirable, it’s critical to pivot towards geostrategic collaboration in areas like economic security, defence, and emerging technologies.

About Alliance of Democracies

The Alliance of Democracies Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in 2017 by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO Secretary General and former Prime Minister of Denmark. It promotes democracy and free markets globally.
Its flagship event, the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, positions it as a leading advocate for democratic values.
Democracy has been in global decline for 18 years, yet 85% of people believe democracy is essential in their country.
The foundation aims to revitalise democracies, strengthen their global collaboration, and counter authoritarian trends.
Its mission focuses on fostering peace, prosperity, and the advancement of democracy worldwide.

Tackling Global Geostrategic Issues Together

Addressing Historic Ties: India’s longstanding ties with Russia and its rivalry with China stem from its unique geopolitical position.
Double Standards: Europe must acknowledge its economic dependence on China while advocating for India to reassess ties with autocratic states.
Common Assessment: Acknowledge the threat posed by the Russia-China ‘No Limits’ partnership to democracies worldwide, linking the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.

Building Economic Security Through Trusted Partnerships

Reducing Dependencies: Focus on decreasing reliance on China for critical raw materials.
New Supply Chains: Develop robust, resilient supply chains with India as a Trusted Partner, promoting shared economic growth.

Strengthening Defence Cooperation

U.S.-India Defence Ties: India is already a Major Defence Partner of the U.S. and part of the Quad, referred to as the ‘Asia-Pacific NATO’.
EU-India Defence Talks: Europe should accelerate collaboration to provide India with advanced defence technology and reduce dependence on Russian arms.
High-Level Engagement: The EU’s Defence Commissioner should prioritise visits to India to strengthen cooperation in defence and space technology.

Revitalising the Trade and Technology Council (TTC)

Underutilised Potential: The EU-India TTC mirrors the U.S.-India iCET but lacks momentum.
Lessons from iCET: Leverage National Security Adviser-level collaboration to focus on critical and emerging technologies like quantum computing and biotech.

Combating China’s Technological Dominance

Current Status: China leads in 57 of 64 emerging technologies.
Collective Action: Europe, India, and the U.S. must combine their innovation capacities to outpace China and secure leadership in advanced technologies.

Emphasising Practical Collaboration

People-to-People Ties: Strengthen cultural and social connections between Europe and India.
Economic Importance: India’s rise as the world’s third-largest economy complements Europe’s shrinking share of global GDP.
Democracy at the Core: Build an alliance that integrates India to defend democratic values against autocratic threats.

Addressing Democratic Challenges Together

Shared Challenges: Both India and Europe face challenges in preserving democratic integrity.
Collaborative Solutions: Tackle issues jointly, creating a unified front against threats to democracy worldwide.