Why in news?
Anglosphere is among the main ideas that took through the political movement in Britain successfully pulling London out of the European Union. Brexit has been in news for quite some time which has brought up the idea of Anglosphere.
What is Anglosphere?
An Anglosphere is the global geographical location of English-speaking people who are bound together by common political beliefs, legal traditions, and shared geopolitical interests
An example can be the United Kingdom’s continuing commercial ties with the rest of Europe. It can also be seen as a catalyst for Britain’s independent political role in the world.
India’s Role:
Delhi is hosting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson next month as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. India may get a chance to get the conversation started on Anglosphere and its role in the same.
The major question is why India would have anything to do with the resurrection of an idea that takes it back to UK’s colonial past, but noticing the current trend of winds, Anglosphere has come out as an interesting framework to engage with.
Significance of Anglosphere for India
- India’s aggregate GDP had crossed that of Britain but had fallen a bit below this year. Britain and India today are at roughly $2.7 trillion and occupy the fifth and sixth places in the GDP rankings.
- The US, Canada, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand which are a part of Anglosphere remain the preferred Indian destinations for study, work and emigration.
- The Indian diaspora is thriving in these nations and is very much part of the political life in the English-speaking world.
- Indians occupy countless positions in the national bureaucracies, private sector, and universities of the Anglosphere.
- There is an economic complementarity between India and the Anglosphere while both are interested in constructing a stable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. India is already engaged with the Five Eyes on select issues.
History of Anglosphere:
It was in the late 19th century when Britain faced various challenges to its global economic primacy. The threats to the stability of the empire from within and rising powers in the world were growing.
The easy way to deal with it was to build a “Greater Britain” which had imperial trade preferences along with a unified defence system. Britain wanted an upper hand with one nation including all with the parliament sitting and taking decisions in London. Such an idea was passed onto the Commonwealth as Britain’s main international vehicle after the Second World War.
Later Europe was integrated and the Commonwealth became less salient.
Europe still remained a divisive subject in Britain. Many Conservatives who did not wish to see London cede its sovereignty to Brussels were against it.
Europe as a project was pursued vigorously after the Cold War. It was then that a stronger group of Eurosceptics resurrected the idea of London returning to its previous shades aka the Anglosphere.
Anglosphere: All perspectives
Anglosphere is currently gaining ground but there is no agreement on who might constitute such a group and what would be its functions.
Many believe that the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand would be constituting the Anglosphere. They are also called the five eyes.
Many also call it the CANZUK group that excludes the United States.
There is also a view as an economic and strategic collaboration with countries like India, Ireland, Singapore and Japan as part of rebuilding the Anglosphere.
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