By Mandeep Tiwana, CIVICUS Secretary General
EU and India have an opportunity to transform their recently inked trade agreement into a meaningful partnership that benefits the world. Both, however, must prioritise respect for human rights and the rule of law – at home and abroad.
Behind the success of every marriage lies an alignment of values. Even a shotgun one. The January 27 trade deal between the world’s largest economic bloc and the world’s most populous country has been described as the ‘mother of all deals’ by European Union (EU) chief, Ursula von der Leyen. Triggered by the Donald Trump administration’s hasty tariffs and riling of allies, the deal has the potential to be more than a mere trade agreement. But for it to become a beneficial partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will have to change its approach towards ‘human rights’ and the ‘rule of law’. Trade stability is best enabled through the assurance of justice for all.
Photo credit: “President Tusk at the EU-India Summit In Delhi” by European Council President, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
