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1st Virtual Bilateral Dialogue on “Security in Indo-Pacific: Emerging Cooperation between India, Czech Republic, and the EU”

December 13, 2021

Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and Prague Security Studies Institute, Prague are organized their 1st Virtual Bilateral Dialogue on “Security in Indo-Pacific: Emerging Cooperation between India, Czech Republic, and the EU”.

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Event Report

The First MP-IDSA and PSSI Virtual Bilateral Dialogue was jointly organised on 13 December 2021 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi and the Prague Security Studies Institute. The broad themes discussed in the event were “Prospects for India-EU Cooperation in the Indo Pacific” and “India-Czech Republic Cooperation/ India-Europe Defence Cooperation”.

The participants comprised of heads of institutions, deputy minister, ambassadors and scholars from both sides namely Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy Director General MP-IDSA, Mr. Roger W. Robinson Jr. Chairman and Co-Founder PSSI, H.E. Hemant H. Kotalwar India’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic, H.E. Jan Havránek Czech Deputy Minister of Defence for Policy and Strategy, Amb. Majeev Puri Former Ambassador of India to the European Union, Dr. Jan Hornát Charles University Faculty of Social Sciences, Dr. Martin Hala Charles University Department of Sinology and Director of Sinopsis, Ing. Libor Sečka Special Representative of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic for the Indo-Pacific Region, Amb. P.S. Raghavan Former Ambassador of India to Czech Republic and Russia, Mr. Seppo Nurmi Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to India and Dr. Philip Shetler-Jones Enhancing European Security Cooperation In And With Asia (ESIWA) thematic coordinator.

Executive Summary

Indo Pacific as a region has lately gained importance after China’s aggressive behaviour and the massive military build-up in the South China Sea. China has been aimed at subjugating the smaller states in the region and making contested claims over portions of their territory. China has reportedly built new islands to be able to claim more area under its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The EU on the other hand has good economic and trade relations with China, especially the bigger EU economies, but has started to realise the need to stand more firmly against the violations of a rules based international order. It intends to diversify relations and cooperation with the countries in the Indo Pacific region with India being a natural ally. Developed economies of the region also have a vital role to play in terms of their alliances, be that with the EU, the US or other powers.

Early access to US markets led to growth and development of trade ties in Asian economies, like that of Japan and China. Earlier the Indo Pacific was dominated by the British due to their might in the maritime domain but overtime their dominance and hegemony in this area has suffered a setback. The one to gain from this is the US, which now holds a renewed interest in the region and is endeavouring to prevent China from dominating the region. Post Afghanistan, it has become even more imperative for the US to pose as a reliable and responsible power. India is a natural choice, among others, for the US to ally with in order to put up a united front against the violators of an international rules based order.

India-EU cooperation has gained momentum from the time the Indian PM met with the leaders of each of the 27 member bloc during the India-EU Leaders’ Meeting on 8th May, 2021. It was agreed to advance the implementation of actions set out in the India-EU Roadmap 2025 and engage to ensure security, prosperity and sustainable development in a multi-polar world. This will further strengthen the maritime cooperation that India and EU have had over the years, involving projects like Project Atlanta off the coast of Somalia. Evolving robust ties with the EU, offers an array of opportunities for India. While both have their own share of problems, be it dealing with China (for India) or be it the EU’s relations with Russia and Belarus, but they need to look beyond these and establish strong ties with non-border sharing states. An absence of a direct land or maritime border with India should not stop the EU from creating and maintaining good relations with India and other Asian economies.

With the Czech Republic holding the presidency of the Council of the EU next year, the focus on the Indio Pacific region is expected to grow and a deeper role is likely to emerge for India to engage with its European partners in the region. The need to diversify relations and play a bigger role in world affairs is a common need of the EU and India. Upon assuming the presidency, the Czech Republic already has plans set out to deepen the already established ties with South Asian economies. Nations like Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia often have had to bear the brunt of natural disasters like tsunami, cyclones and earthquakes among others. The EU has an earth observation programme called ‘Copernicus’ which helps deliver timely information and warning about any possible upcoming disasters. Sharing this with the island nations could help them prevent loss of lives and property in huge numbers.

India and the Czech Republic have had good relations with the former always relying on the latter for its robust small arms industry, which has been an important factor in the Indian Defence System. Historically too, the two countries have been tied together due to Indology being popular way back in 1850s. In fact, many of Rabindranath Tagore’s works have been directly translated from Bengali into Czech, rather than using English as an intermediary language. This session could not have been better timed, especially with so much going on in the world from Belarusian crisis, AUKUS alliance, Quad to Afghanistan crisis. The ties between India and the Czech Republic are in a good space. This is so because the Indian Foreign Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, understands Prague well, having served there during his diplomatic tenure.

The Czech Republic has always had expertise in the technological sector and technical innovation. This can be a great opportunity for India to collaborate on apart from the cutting edge small arms industry. Transfer of strategic and defence technologies is an important aspect of India- Czech collaborations. Visit of our CDS late Gen. Bipin Rawat to Prague, about a month before the tragic helicopter crash, was to explore similar avenues of cooperation in the defence sector and technologies. The domain of cyber, space technology, nuclear energy and counter terrorism have not been explored much in the partnership but these fields offer abundant opportunities, which will be of immense importance in times to come.

India and its European counterparts also cooperate in the non-traditional security aspects like climate change, green transition and the pandemic. Strategic security and defence relations are only at the developing stage in the partnership but have a long way to go. In the emerging geopolitical landscape of the Indo Pacific, India-EU cooperation is not only a vision but also a need for both the powers.

Detailed Report

Opening Remarks by Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, MP-IDSA

Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy opened his remarks by stating the importance of Indology in Czech-India cultural relations since the 1850s. He referred to the frequent high level visits and multifaceted partnerships in economic, defence and technical sectors between the two nations. There was also a mention of the Czech small arms industry which manufactures quality products, as important for India. He stated that there is a strong need to build more resilient supply chains, especially with the rise of China posing a strategic challenge. China’s truculence and unilateralism is evident from South China Sea to the European waters. The 17+1 arrangement changing into 16+1 is a sign of tussle between democracy and authoritarianism. He drew attention to the recently concluded America’s Summit for Democracy and its recommitment to certain values of liberal order.

He further said that increased US involvement as a power in Asia Pacific (replacing U.K.) and the emerging East Asian economies like China and Japan have brought the region to the forefront in today’s geopolitical tussles. Latter’s access to the US markets resulted in their early growth in the second half of the last century but now we can see this developmental impulse spread throughout the Indo Pacific and beyond. India’s vision is to achieve rapid economic and inclusive growth in a peaceful environment, not just of itself but the region too. We pursue issue based alignments which are in line with our national interest, just like others and we know that our collaboration with like-minded nations, like the Czech Republic will help us better contribute to the global structures. He concluded by reiterating that India and Czech Republic share common concerns on the agenda of climate change, economic development and also fundamental issues like terrorism, which is omnipresent.

Opening Remarks by Mr. Roger W. Robinson Jr., Chairman and Co-Founder, PSSI

Mr. Robinson pointed out the significant timing of the event amidst several geopolitical and geostrategic dynamics like the AUKUS, QUAD, massive troops on Ukrainian border and China’s declining economy. He also mentioned the uncertainties of US commitments to the Indo Pacific region post Afghanistan. With the military expansion picking up pace in China, there is a greater need for the EU to explore its security arrangements in the Indo Pacific, especially with India. He said that the EU and the Czech Republic can bring a great deal of non-military ideas to the table, to manage the Chinese behaviour and pushback against its unfair actions. These ideas can take many forms, like that of capital market sanctions against the Chinese bad actors, who are raising billions of dollars and using that (along with investor funds) to finance advanced nuclear weapons.

Mr. Robinson further mentioned that great power rivalry is being playing out in economic and financial domains, which serve as the war fighting domain in our globalised world. Militarisation of South China Sea, human rights abuses in Xinjiang and mainland China, cyber-attacks and IP thefts profoundly undermine the common security and fundamental liberal values. Space security, space governance, traffic management and ground based commercial space race is a well of opportunities where India and Czech Republic along with the EU, can ensure a positive impact.

Special Remarks by H.E. Hemant H. Kotalwar, India’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic

Amb. Kotalwar initiated his address by paying homage to the late CDS and accredited him for giving impetus to the bilateral cooperation between India and the Czech Republic. He mentioned that the upcoming Czech presidency of the Council of the EU next year, accords high priority to the issue of strengthening security partnership in the Indo Pacific region and sees India as a strong potential partner. India has always considered the Czech Republic (even erstwhile Czechoslovakia) as a technological hub, on which our strong defence partnership is based.

Amb. Kotalwar discussed the shared values of peace, stability, freedom and rule of law that have made this dialogue possible. He mentioned the various opportunities available at the government to government level and for private companies to collaborate in cyber security, AI and space technology. India must leverage the eagerness of Czech companies to expand cooperation in defence and security spheres.

He concluded by reflecting on the immense potential of our bilateral cooperation which will take this relationship forward. He thanked the Czech Minister of Defence, MP-IDSA and PSSI for organising this event which will serve as a platform to deepen our defence cooperation and strengthen communication in future.

Special Remarks by Jan Havránek, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Defence for Policy and Strategy, Czech Republic

Minister Jan Havránek specified the need to deepen dialogue between democracies of the world by organising more such bilateral events. He spoke of dramatic shifts in the global security environment, power divisions, the rise of China and Russia challenging the international rules based order. The role played by certain state and non-state actors, hampering the progress in climate change and nuclear security arenas also found mention.

He said the European Union and NATO are working together to develop a system of cooperation to improve security of the transatlantic region. The EU is trying to become a strong player in the security arena and has military ambitions to enhance its capabilities to defend itself. He mentioned Indo-Pacific as the new theatre of world affairs and the need for the EU to increase its footprint in the region.

Czech Republic also sees close partnership with India as a cornerstone of its Indo Pacific policy. Experience sharing and international cooperation in domains of defence, security, cyberspace, modern technology and outer space, has become ever important in the post pandemic era.

The Deputy Minister mentioned China as a challenge, which needs to be tackled. He spoke of India’s proximity with China and that its expertise in dealing with the latter can be a learning experience for those European countries who wish to partner with India in the Indo Pacific region. In his concluding remarks, he praised the already established bilateral relations and mentioned the scope to further strengthen them.

Amb. Chinoy’s remarks as the Chair for Session 1- Amb. Chinoy opened the first session and introduced its theme, “Prospects for India-EU Cooperation in the Indo Pacific”. He brought out various themes of potential cooperation between India and the EU amidst the great power rivalry being played out in the Indo Pacific. China is undermining the international rules based order and freedom of navigation, thereby threatening the various trade routes that pass from the region. The primary threat before the EU is to ensure the safety of sea lanes of communication (SLOC) that China is thwarting by a reinvigorated military presence and subsequent interventions. EU’s economic prosperity is directly affected by how safe and open is the indo pacific arena. He further discussed the strategic aspect of the region and the endeavours of several European powers, like France and Germany to claim their space in this region. He mentioned the India- EU strategic partnership as a guiding light for strengthening cooperation between India and various EU nations. Amb. Chinoy concluded his remarks by introducing the three speakers.

Speaker: Amb. Manjeev Puri, Former Ambassador of India to the European Union

Amb. Puri made important connections like that of India’s external affairs minister having served as an ambassador in Prague and the cutting edge small arms industry of Czech Republic being our weapon of choice. The need to recognise each other through the lens of respective national interests is very important. The trade deals, turnovers and huge investments that Europe was making in China was evident to all before the pandemic but post-pandemic Europe is realising the hegemonic facet of it.

He listed reasons for why India and the EU should cooperate in a mutually beneficial way in the Indo. First, he emphasized on the congruence of interest. In years to come, India will be the third largest economy and the biggest democracy right in the heart of the Indo Pacific region. Shared values of a liberal society, democracy and a free open economy exhibit India as a hub of opportunities for the EU. India can also leverage from the technological innovation capacity that the EU brings to the table. Second, is the requirement to overcome the deficiency of any shared borders between India and the EU. While India shares its borders with many countries, facilitating trade and people to people connections but the EU is not one of them. There is a need to overcome this deficiency and increase cooperation between the two powers, even in the absence of a common border.

Regarding the kind of cooperation possible between the two sides, Amb. cited the example of piracy off the coast of Somalia, where the two worked together with the US. Project Atlanta, another project of the EU is yet another example of what can be done if things go downhill. The EU has done a lot for its people on the economic front but with its emerging contestations with Russia and the Chinese presence in the South China Sea, there is a need for the EU to look for partners. Given the above circumstances, India is a natural ally for the EU and it serves the interest of both to give impetus to their relationship.

Speaker: Dr. Jan Hornát, Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences

Dr. Hornát mentioned the role played by the US in the Indo Pacific by shifting its focus from East Asia to Asia Pacific and finally by renaming the region as Indo Pacific, highlighting the role played by India in the region. India for sure is an important player in the region but US has been pushing it to do more. India has to tightly balance its relations with China there, as it is the third largest export market for India and that cannot be ignored. This puts more pressure on India to make crucial and consequential policy decisions which will balance China and the west. He cautioned that it might even cause friction in India-US relations.

He mentioned strategic altruism of US towards India, with latter becoming a major defence partner of the US. The new communications and logistics agreements that the two countries have assented to and the transfer of technologies received by India, is inducing it to balance China. The EU is trying to understand what accommodations India is willing to make when its strategic autonomy is concerned.

Dr. Hornát pointed out the cold war mentality that is evident on the part of the US when it comes to containing the rise of China. The only difference is that earlier it used to be the American bloc aligning countries under it and US being the leader. And now, the US is pushing other countries to have close collaborations and foster bilateral relations to jointly pushback against China and contain its rise. A clear example of it is the Quad formation. This will increase tensions in the region and especially pressurize India, according to the perception in Central Europe. He concluded by saying that India will have to make tough policy decisions based on what kind of relations it wants with the US, the EU and other nations.

Speaker: Dr. Martin Hala, Charles University, Department of Sinology and Director of Sinopsis

Dr. Hala emphasised on the concept of great power rivalry and mentioned Barack Obama’s work ‘The Audacity of Hope’, as a premature observation which states that great power competition no longer exists. This concept first found mention in the National Security Strategy of the US government in 2017 and a year later in their defence strategy. China can be seen throwing its weight on smaller nations like the Philippines, Taiwan and other ASEAN nations in the South China Sea, which has alerted the smaller states before the bigger powers like the US could take note.

He said that we must be cautious in using the term ‘great power rivalry’ as it can be counter-productive. Rivalry, as mentioned, is not between the two powers (US and China) but between the two systems that those nations follow. The better way to address would be to use the European term ‘systemic rivalry’ as it better encapsulates what is being conveyed. It concerns all of us and not just the perceived hegemonic powers in the equation.

Dr. Hala mentioned 2018 as the year of new lows in India China ties as China rendered the 1950s agreement with India irrelevant. The new alliances like Quad or AUKUS are also offshoots of these systemic rivalries. In the end Dr. Hala concluded that we need to focus more on the stakeholders than just the major powers alone, since it affects each one of us, irrespective of how big or small the state is.

Chair for Session II: Ing. Libor Sečka, Special Representative of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic for the Indo-Pacific Region

Mr. Sečka began his remarks as Chair by giving condolences on CDS Bipin Rawat’s tragic and untimely demise and fondly recalled his brilliant analysis of the defence relations between India and Czech Republic. He spoke of the earlier India- EU ties being predominantly economic and cultural in nature but now the security and defence domains are making a headway too. Political investment in this regard will also be great since it is mutually beneficial. In the ‘India-EU Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025’, both sides pledged to take joint action and strengthen the strategic partnership and defend the rules based order.

Since the 2020 EU-India Summit under the EU Commission, the scope of cooperation has expanded to include a newly launched maritime security dialogue, set up a working group on 5G, launching an AI taskforce and a high level ministerial dialogue to revive discussion on the pending free trade agreement. India is the biggest importer of arms and this might prompt the EU to grant Indian companies access to the European defence markets. The security cooperation between India and the EU is on three main pillars: maritime security, nuclear cooperation and peacekeeping. India- EU summit this year confirmed that both powers are ready to act as a stabilising and converging force in the world order. In conclusion, Mr. Sečka introduced the upcoming three speakers and their topics of discussions.

Speaker: Amb. P.S. Raghavan, Former Ambassador of India to Czech Republic and Russia

Amb. Raghavan started by commenting on one of the earlier remarks that it is not India alone that is pressurised but certain European nations seem to be facing similar situation about maintaining a balance between their Indo-Pacific relations and Euro-Transatlantic orientation of the EU. He commented on the India Czech defence partnership, calling it a promise waiting to emerge into full bloom, ever since the cold war days. Cooperation in the field of aerospace is an area of promise that remains to be taken forward in this relationship.

He mentioned that the private sector participation in defence manufacturing has greatly increased in India and this offers great prospect for Czech companies which manufacture systems, sub-systems, and control mechanisms to have joint collaborations with India and play a part in the Indian government’s aerospace industry. The Czechs have upgraded the weapon systems from Warsaw Pact times to be integrated in the western systems and this kind of experience is of particular interest to India since it is also diversifying its channels of defence equipment acquisition and indigenous production

Amb. Raghavan specified space security as yet another important point of collaboration between India and the Czech Republic where former’s initiative to deregulate the space ecosystem could bring hordes of opportunities for Prague. Czech entrepreneurs need to recognise that when a nation the size of India wants to indigenize, countries have to be willing to transfer technologies and manufacture under joint ventures to be able to mutually benefit from it.

A number of Indian companies operating in China are looking to move out of China and into Europe. Quite a few of them moved to Berlin instead of Prague due to difficulties with latter’s visa system and immigration policies. Prague needs to work on its regulatory issues to be able to benefit from the Indian investments displacing from China and abroad.

Speaker: Mr. Seppo Nurmi, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to India

Mr. Nurmi spoke about the history of India-EU strategic partnership, which goes back 20 years. Indo Pacific region is central to EU’s relationship with India. It is the emerging centre of gravity for geopolitics and trade. It is already a key player in shaping the future world order but its tensions are also on the rise. The military build-up and the rising geopolitical competition threatens the prospects and stability of the region. The EU is the top investor and one of the biggest trading partners in the region.

He also referred to the EU as the biggest trading block and that it is heavily dependent on the maritime traffic in the Indo Pacific, as around 40% of its trade passes through South China Sea. Hence, a stable and peaceful Indo Pacific is naturally in the EU’s interest. As the events in this region will have profound impact on all major economies, its safety and open navigation are a concern for the world at large.

Mr. Nurmi stated further that the EU plans to offer solutions to common challenges and enhance stability and prosperity in cooperation with the regional partners. Inclusiveness, respect for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), rules based order, open and free navigation and multilateral cooperation are the points of convergence for European and Indian interests in the region. Enhancing naval deployments and boosting the partners’ maritime capacity should be focused upon. Security and defence dimension is new for the EU and to achieve success in this sphere, the EU needs the support of its various financial and organisational institutions and agencies. Project Atlanta, where the EU worked together with India in counter piracy operations is a classic example of cooperative security mechanism. To conclude, Mr. Nurmi referred to climate change, green transition and the pandemic as the non-traditional aspects of security where India-EU cooperation is strong. Maritime and naval involvement between the two parties also looks promising.

Speaker: Dr. Philip Shetler-Jones, Thematic Coordinator, Enhancing European Security Cooperation In and With Asia (ESIWA)

Dr. Jones spoke about the initiation of the Indo Pacific project in the EU in 2018 and how it has gained impetus in the last two years. It involves six pilot nations- India, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore, to enhance cooperation in the region. . Over the course of four years and a budget of 15 million euros, this project will focus on peacekeeping and crisis management, counter terrorism, counter extremism, maritime security and cyber security.

With regards to India, he said, there is an existent cooperation in the maritime domain. He stated why there is not a better partner than India for the Czech Republic by emphasising on India’s rich experiences in peacekeeping missions. There is also tremendous scope for furthering bilateral cooperation over the categories of cyber, space and counter terrorism. Due to convergence of interests in the world order, a lot can be done in these arenas of cooperation.

He quoted the importance of EU’s partners when it comes to implementing the ideas on the ground. They could support the policy dialogues and bring new ideas to the table regarding future activities. With regard to peacekeeping operations, it becomes imperative to bring practitioners of peace together, be it in civilian or military uniform. Lastly he emphasised on the role of public information which needs to be paced up alongside the policies so that people should be well aware of the developments in their region.

Q&A Session:

What role can ASEAN play in the emerging Indo Pacific according to Czech Republic or the EU?
What is the scope of collaboration in India and Czech Republic over energy security?

Ing. Libor Sečka replied saying there exists close cooperation and dialogue between the EU and ASEAN countries. Czech Republic during its presidency can further strengthen ties by sharing timely information under the program ‘Copernicus’, which warns against possible climate change impacts and natural disasters. This can rescue ASEAN region from the frequent natural disasters which cause havoc there.

Mr. Seppo Nurmi said that FTA negotiations were started almost ten years ago with ASEAN. It is very important for the EU and ASEAN to speak in one voice but it gets difficult due to both being blocs rather than individual nations.

Dr. Philip Shetler-Jones commented on the EU-ASEAN combined commitments to jointly pool resources and experiences to develop peacekeeping, training and capacity building amongst their members.

P.S. Raghavan mentioned the arena of cyber space as a potential area of interaction and collaboration between the two countries. He highlighted the fact that Indian defence officers are sent to attend courses on cryptology in the Czech Republic. He also mentioned cooperation in the field of nuclear energy between the Czech Republic and India when former was chairing the Nuclear Supplier’s Group (NSG). France’s efforts to get nuclear energy declared as green energy in the European Green Deal is also favourable to India. Czech industry has a thriving nuclear energy development equipment industry and India could possibly collaborate on that as well.

Key Takeaways

There is existent cooperation between India and the EU in the maritime domain and this can be strengthened further to reflect strongly in the Indo Pacific region.
Possibility for potential collaboration and cooperation is very strong in domains of cyber security, space technology, climate change and defence technology but remains rather inadequate as of now.
The EU and Czech Republic are actively looking to foster closer cooperation with the ASEAN and Indo Pacific countries in coming years. Although much of it is likely to be economic, security and defence related but active military cooperation is not likely to be on the cards.
Rise of China is seen as a threat not only by the nations around it but also by the EU, which has strong trading links with it. The EU is slowly starting to realise the economic trap they might find themselves in, if they do not take action now. The need to diversify trade, supply chains and diplomatic ties is of as much importance to the EU, as it is to India.

Report was prepared by Anandita Bhada, Research Analyst, Europe and Eurasia Centre, MP-IDSA.

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