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 press release printed on 19 September, HRW mentioned the New Strategic EU-India Agenda hails India because the “world’s largest democracy” and a “trusted companion,” whereas ignoring documented human rights abuses beneath Modi’s governmentEU’s New India Technique Overloo….

The rights group pointed to violence and discrimination in opposition to minorities, arbitrary arrests, misuse of counterterrorism legal guidelines, assaults on free media, abusive web shutdowns, and the intimidation of activists and diaspora critics. HRW has additionally reported on mass expulsions of Muslims and the excessive price of dissent in India, which it says have been met with persistent EU silenceEU’s New India Technique Overloo….

Claudio Francavilla, HRW’s affiliate director for EU advocacy, accused European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen of pursuing an “uncritical allure offensive” with Modi within the curiosity of strengthening commerce and political ties. “In pursuit of that objective, she has imposed EU silence over India’s authoritarian drift,” Francavilla wroteEU’s New India Technique Overloo….

The assertion additionally 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 undertake a “extra for extra” method, linking nearer cooperation and ongoing commerce talks to concrete human rights benchmarks.

The group additional referred to as for binding and enforceable rights provisions in EU-India negotiations, whereas noting that India must also increase issues concerning the EU’s personal file, together with abusive migration insurance policies and crackdowns on peaceable protest in Europe EU’s New India Technique Overloo….

“As long as the EU touts India’s standing because the ‘world’s largest democracy,’ each must embrace bilateral relations with mutual scrutiny and respect for human rights,” HRW mentioned.

The complete HRW dispatch is offered right here.