Time to engage with post-NATO 1.0 Europe

Europe has taken a concrete step to take charge of its defence. On Monday in Paris, a 'coalition' of 10 countries announced their intention to coordinate efforts to produce anti-ballistic missile systems. The context is supporting and defending Ukraine against Russian attacks. But the announcement says much more. It signals loud and clear that Europe's serious about getting aatmanirbhar. It's an important step toward gradually building broader European defence cooperation, after knowing the trials and tribulations of being near-completely dependent on the US.

Many European leaders, the French in particular, have been pushing the idea of a continent-wide defence cooperation. Which is where Donald Trump's prevarication on Ukraine has ironically helped - not to mention, the US president's less subtle than his predecessors' demand that non-US Nato members step up their defence spending. Europe's quest for 'strategic autonomy' is not a repudiation of the 77-yr-old post-WW2/pre-Cold War treaty - not yet, at any rate. It is 'Nato US Plus One', creating options by putting the organisation on a firmer footing with future US administrations as well as diversifying Europe's defence partnerships. Individual countries in the continent have already raised their defence spending. This coalition now hopes to consolidate Europe's fragmented defence industry.

This structural pivot that can reshape Europe's macroeconomic policies, industrial base and geopolitical posture also provides an opportunity for India that it must pursue. India can certainly play a role in the development of this gestating military-industrial complex for mutual benefit. So far, New Delhi has been agile in its engagement, evident from defence co-development and co-production partnerships with several European countries. The anti-ballistic missile coalition is more than a group to produce interceptors to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks. It's the beginning of a readjustment of global order. India would do well to get on this revolving, evolving security carousel.