BENEATH POTENTIALS? EU-INDIA RELATIONS

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis was to conceptualise the EU-India relations in theoretical terms and to analyse the expectations and prospects of the recently founded strategic partnership. The research was carried out in form of a qualitative case study mainly based on fieldwork in Delhi and Brussels. Foreign Policy Analysis provided the theoretical basis of the data analysis, encompassing the concepts of opportunity, presence and consistency as well as the theory of modern and postmodern states. The EU and India are currently redefining their roles as actors within international relations. Even though they are sharing many common values, on which the strategic partnership formally is founded, the investigation revealed common interest, primarily economic interest as the driving force behind the partnership rather than common values. On the one hand several factors have been identified which are slowing down the development of the relations, among them are a considerable inconsistency of European foreign policy as well as a lack of effort to invest in the relationship from the Indian side. On the other hand the partnership has been accredited great poten-tial from both sides.