India - France Relation - Aspirant Learning

India – France relation boosted by the naval joint patrolling in the southwestern Indian Ocean.

The five days from May 9 to 13, an Indian Navy P-8I aircraft was deployed from the French island of La Reunion to carry out “joint surveillance and patrolling operations” with the French Navy in the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Two French Floréal-class surveillance frigates, the Floréal and the Nivôse, took part in the deployment, with focus on anti-smuggling,
“In order to increase the level of interoperability, French sailors were taken onboard the P-8I”.
Noting that it is the second time that France and India have carried out “joint patrolling” out of La Reunion.
Significance of Joint Patrolling
- “This type of operation demonstrates how Indo-French naval cooperation serves as a net security provider in the region.
- In the backdrop of increasing Chinese naval presence in the IOR, maritime domain awareness (MDA) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) cooperation has emerged as a top priority for India and the Quad countries both in a bilateral and also in the Malabar naval exercise.

India and France have long had close and amicable connections, which have aided India’s progress on international platforms. In addition, France serves as a gateway for India’s policies in Europe.
Timeline of India – France Relation

Political Relation
- National Security Advisors from both countries meet regularly for the India-France Strategic Dialogue (1999).
- Both countries has Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, Cyber Dialogue mechanism
- Both countries signed an agreement in 2018 on “Exchange and Reciprocal Protection of Classified or Protected Information.”
- They also released a “Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region” to keep international water lanes safe, combat maritime terrorism and piracy, and improve maritime domain awareness.
- In addition, India and France inked a “Agreement for the Provision of Reciprocal Logistics Support Between Their Armed Forces” to provide logistical support and reciprocal access to their respective facilities for their armed forces.
- Consistent nuclear supply from France to India
- Support India for membership in United Nation Security Council (UNSC)
- Common Platforms share by India and France
  - United Nations
  - G20
  - International Solar Alliance (ISA)

Economic Relation
- In 2018, India and France committed to increasing bilateral trade to 15 billion euros by 2022 and “timely resuming” talks on a free trade agreement between the two countries.
- The economic relationship between France and India (goods transferred totaled €11.5 billion in 2019) is unbalanced, with the balance favouring India.
- France is India’s 15th-largest consumer and ranks 25th among nations that provide it, with a 1% market share.
- With a foreign direct investment stock of €5.5 billion at the end of 2018, France is one of India’s top foreign investors (6th-largest G20 investor).
- The countries also reaffirmed that the India-France Administrative Economic and Trade Committee (AETC) provides an appropriate framework for assessing and identifying ways to promote bilateral trade and investment, as well as to expedite the resolution of market access issues to the benefit of economic operators.
- French involvement in Smart Cities Project like – Chandigarh , Nagpur , Puducherry.

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).
- The Reciprocal Logistics Support Agreement was signed by both countries.
- Both countries has joint stand on anti terrorism
- Major Defence Deals are
  - P-75 Scorpene Project – In 2005, India and France inked a strategic contract for the development of 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 are
- Garuda – Air Exercise
- Varuna – Naval Exercise
- Shakti – Air Exercise

Science and Technology
- Nuclear Energy
  - In 1950, the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) offered India technical assistance in civil nuclear innovation, which the two countries accepted in 1951 when they signed a bilateral agreement “for the research and building of beryllium-moderated reactors.”
  - In addition, 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.

Cultural Relation
- The Indian community in mainland France, including NRIs, is believed to number over 109,000 people, with the majority hailing from the French enclaves of Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam, Mahe, and Chandernagore.
- In the French Overseas Territories of Reunion Island (280,000), Guadeloupe (60,000), Martinique (6,000), and Saint Martin, there is a sizable population of Indian heritage (300).
- In France, there are more than 50 Indian community organisations. Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Punjab are the major communities that make up the Indian origin population. 20.
- The two countries signed a Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement with the goal of facilitating temporary circular migration based on mobility and encouraging skilled return to the home country.

Pic Courtesy : India Today, Economic Times , Times of India

Content Source : The Hindu

India – France Relation