Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and experts on Thursday said that the European Union that has been hit hard economically due to Wuhan-originated coronavirus and that India being a diplomatic nation provides a conducive atmosphere for the European investors.
“The countries were relying too much on China and they needed to look for other markets,” Thierry Mariani, a Member of the European Parliament and Former Minister of State for Transport of France said at a webinar.
The event was organized by the Economic Development Foundation, Istanbul (IKV), a non-governmental research organization specialized on the EU and Turkey-EU relations.
Mariani further said: “For me, this new Silk Road is just one opportunity but it cannot be said that it is the only opportunity. If we want to have peace and good development then we should have initiatives with other countries. China is an important country but India is also an important country and would become a more and more important country.”
“We know that India is well advanced in this subject and this includes the peace pipeline project. We should link Iran, Pakistan and India or TAPI which links Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India,” added the French Minister.
He also mentioned that India had played a crucial role in connecting the different regions of the globe and Europe should follow the path.
“The Indian government is very active to develop an alternative to the Silk Road. In November 2017, New Delhi launched Asia-Africa growth Corridor with Japan which aims to strengthen the trade between two continents. India has indeed understood the concern of the Sub-Africa and the Asian states,” said Mariani.
Meanwhile, Former Deputy Foreign Minister of Hungary, Istvan Szent Ivanyi said that Europe was not necessarily required to snap all ties with China but should look for an option an opportunity in India.
“India has huge potential – both political and economic. It is an important and reliable partner and it can be an alternative to China. I do not say cut all ties and bonds as that would be unrealistic but I think we have yielded something and have to look for the alternatives. India seems to be very good alternative in the future and I think we can use this opportunity.”
TOBB Vice President and Economic Development Foundation Chairperson, Ahyan Zeytinoglu, believes that the “European Union’s current priority is to gain strategic autonomy. Too much dependence on China should be avoided.”