PERSPECTIVE| FES INDIA Indian Views of Europe’s Role as Security Actor Why the EU Needs to Change its Approach Towards India FLORIAN BRITSCH April 2014 n The perceptions of Indian decision-makers regarding the identity and role of the EU as a foreign and security actor deviate significantly from the perceptions of European scholars and practitioners. While certain European soft power tools are acknowl­edged, hard power and military capabilities remain the most important aspects in Indian debates about the EU as a foreign and security actor. n India’s strategic community does not perceive the EU as a relevant security actor able to contribute meaningfully to Indian security challenges. Other players — such as the United States, China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, and Japan(amongst other partners in Asia, Africa, and Latin America) — matter more in New Delhi’s strategic calculations. n New Delhi prefers to deal with individual member states like France, the United Kingdom, and Germany — countries with whom India has good bilateral relations and which are important for technology transfer and defence equipment. n It’s time for Brussels to approach New Delhi in a more practical fashion, which ex­tends beyond the articulation of normative principles. Moral preaching and finger pointing by European delegations are often counterproductive. Brussels should en­gage Indian decision-makers in a proactive dialogue and focus on overlapping inter­ests, including maritime security, terrorism, space and cyber defence.