Foreign Secretary suggests European states to avoid debt traps & build eco linkages

Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla in a subtle message to Europe on Friday suggested the continent to reduce its economic dependence on China and avoid debt traps and called for building economic linkages.

These remarks were made at a Forum titled “Potential for Indo-European/German cooperation in the Indo-Pacific” organised coinciding with the visit of the German naval frigate Bayern, which is making its port call in Mumbai.

“Europe and the Indo-Pacific regions are closely interlinked through strong trade and investment linkages. Developments in the Indo-Pacific can have a direct bearing on European economies. The impact of the recent supply chain disruptions was felt by all. The global challenges of sustainable development, environmental protection and climate change are more acute in the region. They can only be addressed through collaborative effort that promotes linkages rather than economic dependencies and debt traps,” Shringla said in an indirect reference to Europe’s dependency on China and certain European states falling into debt traps following heavy borrowing from Beijing. “Therefore, we believe that all countries, including those outside the region with a clear stake in the security and stability of the region, have an important role to play.”

In yet another message against Chinese designs to disrupt rules-based order, Shringla noted, “India believes that our common prosperity and security require us to evolve, through dialogue, a common rules-based order for the region. Such an order must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as equality of all nations. Such an order should enable all countries to use common spaces on sea and in the air, engage in unimpeded commerce, and peacefully settle disputes in accordance with international law. India’s record of respecting and accepting the ITLOS verdict on the delimitation of our maritime boundaries with two of our neighbours – Bangladesh and Myanmar, speaks for itself.”

Reaffirming Indo-German strategic partnership Shringla noted, “…We are happy to note the commitment of the new coalition government in Germany for a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on global norms and international law. The priorities identified in Germany’s Guidelines on the Indo-Pacific, particularly strengthening multilateralism, the rule of law and democracy, climate protection, trade and digitalisation, closely match with our interests. Going forward, we could broaden the scope for collaboration to include security issues in the region through joint efforts in capacity building against piracy, IUU fishing and other maritime challenges.”

He also called for strengthening Indo-German counter-terror cooperation, “Counter-terrorism is another key area of cooperation between strategic partners. Failure to cooperate can only embolden terrorists towards more audacity. You would recall the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack in which Indian, German and other nationals had lost their lives. The recent incident in Texas, United States once again demonstrates that the international network of terror, with its epicenter in India’s neighbourhood, is very much active and has long lasting implications. This is a global threat that requires an unambiguous, undivided, effective and collective response.”

“I believe that we can further deepen our cooperation with Germany on matters that impinge on national security interests of our countries through regular exchange of information, mutual capacity building efforts, sharing of best practices, mutual legal assistance and cooperation in multilateral fora. India will be hosting the third “No Money For Terror” Conference this year, and we look forward to participation from Germany in this important initiative.”

The much-awaited EU Strategy on the Indo-Pacific, with its Team Europe approach and a constructive agenda for the region, has also opened up several possibilities for collaboration not just at the level of the but also at the bilateral level with partner countries like Germany. The close convergence in India-EU Connectivity Partnership and the new EU Global Gateway strategy also presents us an opportunity for translating our shared values into reality on the ground and over the sea. This provides a viable and sustainable alternative to support critical infrastructure and connectivity projects in the Indo-Pacific region, Shringla pointed out.

The Forum was organised jointly by Observer Research Foundation-National Maritime Foundation and German think tank Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

The German frigate FGS Bayern (F217) dropped anchor in Mumbai on Friday as a part of its seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. The visit marks the last stop of the frigate’s deployment, which saw German Naval presence in the region after a decade. “German Ambassador to India, Walter J. Lindner, said, “Germany recognizes a significant shift of the world’s political and economic center towards the Indo-Pacific. India is a key player in the region, and our strategic partner and long-standing friend. The message we want to promote is that of free navigation, maintenance of a rules-based international order, and peaceful seas for flourishing trade. We are glad we have a close partner in India, which shares these goals.”