News Highlight
India and France discussed industrial cooperation focusing on strengthening maritime cooperation and increasing the scope and complexity of bilateral exercises.
Key Takeaway
- This was discussed during the fourth India-France annual defence dialogue chaired by Defence Minister.
India and France’s defence and strategic relations
- Defence Relation
- Aside from service-level staff meetings, the two sides have a High Committee on Defence Cooperation (HCDC) that meets yearly at the level of the Defence Secretary and the Director General of the Directorate of International Relations and Strategy in France (DGRIS).
- Both countries signed the Reciprocal Logistics Support Agreement.
- Strategic relation
- India and France are close strategic partners. France was one of the first countries that accommodated India’s position after the 1998 Nuclear Tests.
- France has backed India’s permanent candidature at UN Security Council.
- Atmanirbhar Bharat
- France reiterated its commitment to fully support India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and defence industrialisation, joint research and technology development in India across a wide range of advanced capabilities.
- P-75 Scorpene Project
- In 2005, India and France inked a strategic contract for developing six submarines through a Licence Agreement.
- Purchase of Rafale aircraft
- In 2016, India and France signed a $59 billion contract for 36 Rafale fighter jets.
- Major Defence Exercises
- Garuda – Air Exercise
- Varuna – Naval Exercise
- Shakti – Army Exercise
- Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership
- This partnership aims to build capacities in the Indo-Pacific region, in terms of sustainable management of protected areas, by gathering and sharing the experiences and expertise that exist in the region among key Indo-Pacific public & private natural park managers.
- The Blue Economy and Ocean Governance
- Both sides adopted the “India-France Roadmap on the Blue Economy and Ocean Governance”.
- Nuclear Energy
- India and France inked a historic deal on civil nuclear cooperation in 2008.
- According to the deal, France will build six 1,650 MW European Pressurized Reactors (EPR nuclear reactors) and hasten the construction of the 9,900 MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP).
- Space Cooperation
- Building on their long-standing ties in the civilian space realm, India and France announced a “Joint Vision for Space Cooperation” in 2018.
- In 2018, India and France inked an agreement for cooperation on the Gaganyaan Mission.
- Indo-French Year of the Environment
- Both countries launched the Indo-French Year of the Environment in January 2021 to strengthen cooperation on these issues and ensure coordination ahead of these multilateral events.
The significance of the India-France relationship
- Securing the Indo-Pacific
- India will require the support of France to maintain the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region and counter the growing Chinese aggression.
- The Indian Ocean holds importance for France as it controls the Reunion Islands.
- Both countries concluded a Joint Strategic Vision for cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region in 2018.
- High Degree of Trust
- France had stood by India through thick and thin, beginning in 1998 when India conducted nuclear tests.
- Both nations share a high degree of mutual trust that allows them to cooperate on bilateral and multilateral issues.
- Entry to Key Organizations
- France’s support will be crucial to India’s entry into the UNSC and the NSG.
- Global Stability
- Cooperation between the two can help check Russia’s assertiveness in Europe and China’s in Asia, thereby ensuring global stability and world order.
What are the challenges in the relationship?
- Stalled Projects
- Some of the projects that have been negotiated between the countries have yet to be operationalised.
- For instance, the Jaitapur nuclear project has been stalled and is facing a lot of domestic impediments.
- Free Trade with the EU
- Despite having good relations, France and India don’t have a free trade agreement between them. Further, no progress is being made on the India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) as well.
Content Source: The Hindu