News Highlight
At Strategic Dialogue, India and France share security and defence cooperation views.
Key Takeaway
- On Thursday, the National Security Advisor (NSA) held the 36th round of the Indo-French Strategic Dialogue with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Bonne.
- According to a statement from the Embassy of France in India, both participants agreed to intensify efforts “towards strategic autonomy”.
- The two sides held discussions on a variety of issues, including the current global security situation in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, regional security in the context of Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, besides other issues of mutual concern.
India and France Relations
- Historical Aspects
- French physician François Bernier treated Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the seventeenth century.
- The final colonial nation to engage in trade with India was France.
- They didn’t do so until the seventeenth century, several years after the English and the Dutch made forays into India for commercial gain.
- The French arrived as traders but had higher objectives than other colonial powers.
- In 1664, the French East India Company was established.
- They began interfering in the subcontinent’s domestic politics and used their position to their advantage.
- The French were left with a few scattered possessions, collectively known as French India.
- These locations included Chandannagar, Pondicherry, Mahe, Yanam, and Karaikal.
- Many Indian freedom activists sought sanctuary in French India during the fight against the British, including Aurobindo Ghosh and Subramanya Bharathi.
- In addition, France forged diplomatic ties with an independent India in 1947.
- Both nations signed a document in 1948 stating that the people of French India had the right to select their political future freely.
Defence Cooperation
- Regular talks take place between the service chiefs of both nations.
- An annual defence dialogue at the ministerial level was also initiated in 2018.
- Regular defence exercises take place between France and India.
- Some of them are:
- Exercise Shakti (Army)
- Exercise Varuna (Navy)
- Exercise Garuda (Air Force)
- Exercise Pegas
- Exercise Desert Knight (Air Force)
- India also buys defence equipment from France, the most famous being Rafale aircraft and the P-75 Scorpene project.
- There is a Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) manufacturing facility at Mihan in Maharashtra.
- Which is a joint venture between India’s Reliance Group and the French aerospace company Dassault Aviation.
Space Cooperation
- Firstly, India and France have been working in the space industry for a while now.
- ISRO and CNES (the French space agency) have conducted joint research initiatives and satellite launches.
- The combined Indo-French satellites TRISHNA, Megha-Tropiques, etc. are a few examples.
- The Indian space programme receives a significant amount of equipment and components from France.
Post-COVID Agenda
- Through “close coordination,” India and France will advance their shared post-COVID agenda.
- Greater collaboration is possible in many fields, including energy and climate change, defence and security, health, education, and trade and investments.
Indian Ocean Region
- The fast implementation of the Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region’s recommendations was applauded by both India and France.
- India and France applaud the appointment of a French liaison at the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram for the execution of the White Shipping agreement.
- The two countries also want to coordinate their efforts at the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
- Work on a collaborative project to strengthen resources for battling piracy and all forms of marine trafficking in the Southern Indian Ocean with other interested parties.
- Additionally, France wants to coordinate its efforts with India at the IONS, which it will preside over from 2020 to 2022.
Way Forward
- The opening of the French door allows for more involvement with Europe on international issues.
- India has experimented with many organisations, such as the NAM and BRICS, since gaining independence to influence international norms.
- The new alliances with France, Germany, and other like-minded nations like Japan should help India have a more significant impact on the world arena.
Pic Courtesy: The Hindu
Content Source: The Hindu