Context: 

India and France are celebrating  25 years of their strategic partnership in 2023.

Few facts:

• The strategic partnership was signed in 1998.

•  France has emerged as a key trading partner of India with annual trade of $12.42 billion in 2021­-22.

•   It is the 11th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of $10.31 billion from April 2000 to June 2022, which represents 1.70% of the total foreign direct investment inflows into India.

France as a key defense partner for India:

• France became the second largest defense supplier in 2017­- 2021.

• Defense Exercises: Regular holding of joint military exercises — Varuna (navy), Garuda (air force), and Shakti (army)

• France emerged as a major strategic partner for India with crucial defense deals and increased military to military engagement.

• For Example:

• • Induction of the French Scorpene conventional submarines, being built in India under technology transfer agreement of 2005.

• • The Indian Air Force received 36 Rafale fighter jets.

• • The Tata group has also tied up with Airbus to manufacture C­295 tactical transport aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Dialogue Mechanism: 

India and France have a range of regular institutional dialogues:

•   India-France Strategic Dialogue takes place between NSAs from both sides.
• Annual Foreign Office Consultations
• The bilateral dialogue on Maritime Cooperation
• Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism

Other Areas of cooperation:

• Civil Nuclear Deal:  France was among the first countries with which India signed a civil nuclear deal.

• Constructive Role: Paris also played a critical role in limiting India’s isolation in the non-­proliferation order after the 1998 nuclear tests.

• Support to Permanent Membership of UNSC: France supports India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council as well as its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

• Paris Agreement: India has supported France in the Paris Agreement expressing its strong commitment towards mitigating climate change impact.

• International Solar Alliance: New Delhi and Paris, as part of their joint efforts on climate change, launched the International Solar Alliance in 2015.

• Divergences over Ukraine: While there are divergences over the Ukraine crisis, there is a broad understanding of each other’s position and both countries are working together to coordinate on playing a constructive role in the crisis.

• Convergence over China:Both countries share concerns over the rise of China and its aggressive behavior, regionally and globally.

• New areas of Cooperation: They are now forging ahead with cooperation in issues such as digitisation, cyber, green energy, a blue economy, ocean sciences, and space’.

French presence in the Indo-Pacific:

•  Islands of Réunion and Mayotte (Mozambique channel) in the Indian Ocean and New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the South Pacific.

• France has the largest EEZ in the world (11 million sq. km.)—62 % of which is in the Pacific and 24 % in the Indian Ocean.

• Military presence in Djibouti and Abu Dhabi

Maritime ties:

•   In 2018, the leadership of both countries welcomed the “Joint Strategic Vision of India­France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region” which presented a blueprint for a strengthening of ties.

•  In operational terms, Franco­-Indian joint patrolling in the Indian Ocean signals New Delhi’s intent to engage with like minded partners in expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean.

•  Both countries have articulated their common vision for a free, fair and open Indo Pacific.

• Both countries share a comprehensive strategy for the Indo-­Pacific (it seeks to provide comprehensive solutions for maritime security, regional cooperation, climate change adaptation)

•  India and France in 2022 agreed to set up an IndoPacific Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund that will support sustainable innovative solutions for countries in the region.

• They have formed a trilateral grouping with the United Arab Emirates to ensure maritime domain awareness and security from the east coast of Africa to the far Pacific.

Conclusion

• The partnership has continued to gain momentum over shared values and aspirations of peace, stability and, most importantly, their desire for strategic autonomy. India and France understand each other’s interests and dependencies, be it in relation to China or Russia. 
• In the marking of a long strategic partnership, a common interest in enhancing strategic autonomy and improving resilience, there is much ground ahead for further collaboration.

News Source: The Hindu