About

EU-India Think Tanks Twinning Initiative

India and the European Union (EU), as long-standing partners, are committed to dynamic dialogue in all areas of mutual interest, both as major actors in their respective regions and as global players on the world stage. They share key values and principles such as freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and the promotion of peace and stability.

EU-India relations cover many areas, including cooperation on regional, global, and security issues, close trade and economic ties, sectoral dialogues on sustainable development and modernisation, research and innovation as well as people-to-people contacts.

In this context, the EU-India Think Tanks Twinning Initiative (TTTI) was launched in 2015 with the support of the European Union. Its aim is to promote better understanding and stimulate joint research between Indian and EU think tanks through collaborative projects, which include research publications and events. The initiative contributes to the EU-India strategic relationship by proposing concrete ideas and recommendations to enhance cooperation in foreign and security policy, as well as global governance.

EU-INDIA THINK TANKS TWINNING INITIATIVE 2022-24

Continuing to build on the successful dialogue and debates achieved through the previous editions of the EU-Indian Think Tanks Twinning Initiatives, the call for the 2022-24 was launched in November 2022. Think tanks, universities, research institutions and political foundations in both the regions were invited to undertake joint online research on the following topics:

  • India is experiencing third-country interference from Russia and China, mainly in the fields of information, but also with regard to media, academia, research, think tanks, culture, etc. What is the extent of this interference, India’s response, and prospects for EU-India cooperation in countering it?
  • Innovations in healthcare are currently driven by digital and mobile technologies, and data processing. What are the prospects, and what would be the requisites and conditions to develop a mutually profitable collaboration between EU and India in this field?

Four consortia were selected. The successful institutions included

EU-INDIA THINK TANKS TWINNING INITIATIVE 2018 - 19

Under the EU-India Think Tanks Twinning Initiative 2018, following the launch of the Call in December 2017, consortiums of EU – India think tanks were invited to write three original research papers interspersed with three workshops to discuss those papers over 2018-19. The Call closed on 15 Feb 2018 and the following five proposals were selected:

EU-INDIA THINK TANKS TWINNING INITIATIVE 2015 - 16

Four consortia of think tanks from the EU and India were supported under the EU Public Diplomacy and Outreach in India and in the SAARC project during 2015-16, and they carried out the research work as follows:

  1. ORF, Chatham House and EUISS produced three Background Papers coveringWest Asia, Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism and Countering Radicalisation. The consortium also held a Workshop and a Public Event in New Delhi in September 2016, as well as a final Public Event in Brussels in November. The public events were attended by a mix of officials, academics and think tank representatives.
  2. GPPi and Carnegie India produced four policy papers charting EU-India cooperation on global governance and security, on Regional Connectivity in Asia, Securing Afghanistan, Global Conflict Management, and Securing the Indian Ocean. The consortium organized two policy dialogues in Brussels and New Delhi respectively, which brought together policy makers, academics and think tankers from Europe and India. Supported by structured facilitation, the participants mapped out challenges and opportunities for EU-India cooperation in selected policy fields. In order to disseminate these findings to a broader audience, the consortium organized a large public event in New Delhi attended by European ambassadors, Ministry of External Affairs, India, think tanks and media. Another public event was organized at Vrije University, Brussels. All four policy papers were also published as an edited monograph.

  3. IAI and Gateway House delivered an Expert Discussion in Mumbai, a Seminar in Rome and a Concluding Presentation in Brussels between November and December. Publications were produced on “EU-India Defence Cooperation: A European Perspective”, “EU-India Cooperation on Cyber Issues: Towards Pragmatic Idealism?”, “EU-India: Starting a More Adventurous Conversation”, “Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean: Potential and Limits of EU-India Cooperation”, “EU-India Cooperation on Space and Security”, “Potential and Challenges of India-EU Space Cooperation”, “Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean”, “India-EU Cooperation on Cyber Security and Data Protection”, and “India-EU Defence Cooperation: The Role of Industry”.
  4. GRF and FES India delivered a Seminar on “EU-India Cooperation on Sustainable Urbanisation” in Pune, India, in September 2016, and produced a Policy Brief on “Charting a Sustainable Future: EU-India Platforms on Energy and Climate Change and Urban Development”, as well as one on “India’s View on Human Security: Citizens First, Holistic Urbanisation and Cooperation with the European Union”.

Public Diplomacy Project

The European Union Policy and Outreach Partnerships (EUPOP) is a public diplomacy initiative of the European Union in India. The overall objective of this project is to enhance the visibility of the European Union as a whole, promote a better understanding of EU’s actions and perspectives an thus support the achievement of EU foreign policy objectives by strengthening the EU's ability to engage meaningfully with targeted audiences and stakeholders in India. Additionally, the project aims to promote the European Union and its Member States as reliable, and trustworthy partners for India in both bilateral and global issues."

About the European Union (EU)

The EU, which consists of 27 countries, has the world's largest economy and its third largest population, after China and India. Though richly diverse, the countries that make up the EU (its 'Member States') are all committed to the same basic values: peace, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. They have set up common institutions so that decisions on matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level. By creating a frontier-free single market and a single currency (the euro) which has been adopted by 19 Member States, the EU has given a significant boost to trade and employment. It is also at the forefront of policies on sustainability

EU-India Relations

Over 60 years the EU and India have worked together to reduce poverty, prevent disasters, expand trade, and promote joint research in energy, health, agriculture and many other fields of mutual interest. More information at: www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india