The Role of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Shaping India’s Foreign Policy towards the European Union since 2014

Abstract The article aims to analyze the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) in shaping India’s foreign policy towards the European Union (EU). The article hypothesizes that the BJP , the political party in power since 2014, is the main domestic political actor that impacts India’s foreign policy towards the EU. Its strategy towards the EU is influenced not only by domestic factors but also by external ones. Firstly, the article assesses the formal and informal mechanisms the BJP uses to shape Indian foreign policy. Next, it identifies the main factors influencing the BJP ’s foreign policy toward the EU. Finally, it evaluates the importance of the BJP , as an example of a domestic actor, in forming India’s foreign policy toward the EU.