Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised the European Union’s new strategic agenda with India, warning that the bloc’s silence on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s deepening repression undermines its human rights commitments.
In a statement published on 19 September, HRW said the New Strategic EU-India Agenda hails India as the “world’s largest democracy” and a “trusted partner,” while ignoring documented human rights abuses under Modi’s governmentEU’s New India Strategy Overloo….
The rights group pointed to violence and discrimination against minorities, arbitrary arrests, misuse of counterterrorism laws, assaults on free media, abusive internet shutdowns, and the intimidation of activists and diaspora critics. HRW has also reported on mass expulsions of Muslims and the high cost of dissent in India, which it says have been met with persistent EU silenceEU’s New India Strategy Overloo….
Claudio Francavilla, HRW’s associate director for EU advocacy, accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of pursuing an “uncritical charm offensive” with Modi in the interest of strengthening trade and political ties. “In pursuit of that goal, she has imposed EU silence over India’s authoritarian drift,” Francavilla wroteEU’s New India Strategy Overloo….
The statement also warned that ignoring India’s democratic backsliding is inconsistent with the EU’s ambition to distance New Delhi from Russia and China. HRW urged the EU to adopt a “more for more” approach, linking closer cooperation and ongoing trade talks to concrete human rights benchmarks.
The group further called for binding and enforceable rights provisions in EU-India negotiations, while noting that India should also raise concerns about the EU’s own record, including abusive migration policies and crackdowns on peaceful protest in Europe EU’s New India Strategy Overloo….
“So long as the EU touts India’s status as the ‘world’s largest democracy,’ both need to embrace bilateral relations with mutual scrutiny and respect for human rights,” HRW said.
The full HRW dispatch is available here.
