On March 16, the British government finally published the much-awaited Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development, and Foreign Pol...
On March 16, the British government finally published the much-awaited Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development, and Foreign Policy. In its basic essence, it is the United Kingdom’s roadmap for traversing the world order post-Brexit and marks the biggest shift in Britain’s global foreign and security interests since the end of the Cold War. So what does this mean for India, and what can we learn from such a roadmap?
India’s place
The foremost implication is that of India’s place in British foreign policy and strategic calculations having been further cemented. Whilst in the past there has been growing rhetoric for a greater corporation and a plethora of symbolic gestures – be it British parliamentary reports backing further corporation, the recent visit by Foreign Secretary Raab and Johnson’s pending tour, as well as the call for the expansion of the G-7 to be the D-10 inclusive of India – the review puts all these sentiments down in practice.
It sets out plans for defence cooperation over the Indian Ocean, a shared partnership in tackling issues pertaining to climate change and global health, and mutual trade and investment in science and technology. Most significant however is the Enhanced Trade Partnership, a comprehensive trade deal that will come to form the bedrock of Indo-British relations.
Some substantial...
