VIF-IISS Roundtable on India’s Relations with the EU and the UK after Brexit

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The Vivekananda International Foundation organized a closed-door interaction for a visiting delegation from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS, London) on 4th December 2019. The Roundtable focused on addressing the implications of Brexit on India’s Relations with the EU and the UK. After welcome remarks by Dr Arvind Gupta (Director, VIF), there were two short presentations by Mr Desmond Bowen (team leader of the visiting delegation) and Amb Asoke Mukerji (Distinguished Fellow, VIF). The discussion was moderated by Amb Kanwal Sibal, Member of VIF Advisory Council. Some of the salient points raised in the presentations and the consequent discussion focused on the thematic issues of:-

• Consumption of all UK political capital on Brexit
• Growing Convergence between India and the EU
• Lack of clarity on UK’s position vis-à-vis China
• UK’s undue support for Pakistan
• UK/ Western Media bias against India
• Emergent strategic implications of India-France Relations
• Post-Brexit UK’s support for multilateralism in international relations
• India-UK Security Partnership: Defense Manufacturing and Maritime Security
• India-UK Economic, Trade and Financial Cooperation

Both sides noted the frank and extensive discussion encompassing a broad range of issues and decided the need to continue the VIF-IISS dialogue that would enable both countries to pursue a mutually beneficial and strong bilateral relationship.