- Prelims: Current events of international importance, India-France relations, NATO, Global south, multipolar world etc
- Mains GS Paper I: Bilateral, regional and global grouping and agreements involving India or affecting India’s interests, Important international institutions etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- The French President was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day this year, making it his third visit to India, after his 2018 state visit and last year for the G-20 summit hosted by India.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
India-France Relations:
What are the Key Areas of Cooperation between the two Nations?
- Defense: France is the second largest defense supplier in 2017- 2021.
- Economic Cooperation: France has emerged as a key trading partner of India with annual trade of USD 12.42(twelve point four two) billion in 2021-22.
- Civil Nuclear Cooperation: France was among the first countries with which India signed a civil nuclear deal.
- Cooperation at International Forum: France supports India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council as well as its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
- Climate Cooperation: India has supported France in the Paris Agreement expressing its strong commitment to mitigating the effects of climate change.
- Both countries, as part of their joint efforts on climate change, launched the International Solar Alliance in 2015.
- Maritime Ties: Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region presents a blueprint for a strengthening of ties
- Space Cooperation: India and France have continued to strengthen their cooperation in the field of space.
- ISRO-CNES Joint Working Group
- Joint Mars Mission
- Collaboration on Space Debris
- Joint Earth Observation Mission
Origins of strategic convergence:
● The French President was the chief guest at the Republic Day in 1998 when India established its first Strategic Partnership.
● France declared that India’s exclusion from the global nuclear order was an anomaly that needed to be rectified.
● India’s series of nuclear tests in 1998 and declared itself a nuclear weapon state.
○ France was the first country to open a dialogue with India
● France was the first P-5 country to support India’s claim for a permanent seat in an expanded and reformed UN Security Council.
- French favored multipolarity, forming a natural convergence with India’s ambitions of seeking strategic autonomy.
- Both France and India share a common trait of ‘civilisation exceptionalism’ and pride themselves on their ‘argumentative intellectualism.
The nuclear dialogue:
- It was established in 1998
- It grew into a broader strategic dialogue and was elevated to the level of the National Security Advisers.
- From nuclear, space and defense, the agenda gradually expanded to include counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and cyber-security issues.
- Convergence has evolved on global challenges such as
- climate change
- reform of multilateral development institutions
- globally beneficial Artificial Intelligence
- Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Defense:
- Six Scorpene submarines have been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited with transfer of technology from the Naval Group.
- Technology sharing memoranda of understanding and acquisitions of short-range missiles and radar equipment were concluded.
- Joint exercises between the navies, air forces and the armies were instituted in 2001, 2004 and 2011, respectively.
- The government-to-government agreement for 36 Rafale aircraft, salvaged out of the prolonged negotiations for the original 126.
- An announcement regarding a further acquisition of three more Scorpenes with enhanced features of Air-independent-propulsion
- 26 Rafale M aircraft for India’s new aircraft carrier
- India-France Defence Industrial Road map that fits in with the goal of atma nirbharta.
- Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. and Airbus concluded an agreement to set up a final assembly line by 2026 for H125 civilian helicopters.
- A final assembly line for C-295 military transport aircraft has already been set up in Vadodara
- Collaboration between Safran, the Defence Research and Development Organisation and its Gas Turbine Research Establishment is being stepped up for designing, developing
- producing an aircraft engine for India’s fifth generation aircraft (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) with 100% transfer of technology.
Cooperation in the space domain:
- It began in the 1960s with French assistance to set up the Indian launch facility at Sriharikota
- The strategic dialogue helped restart this cooperation and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the French Space Agency (CNES) now work on joint missions.
- New MoU was signed by NewSpace India Limited, and the commercial arm of ISRO, and French satellite launch company Arianespace for collaboration on space launches.
Way Forward
- The challenge for both countries has been to take the partnership out of the government domains into the commercial and civilian spaces.
- Joint working groups on a range of subjects covering agriculture, environment, civil aviation, IT and telecom, urban development, transportation, culture and tourism have been set up.
- The growing number of Indian students going to France for higher education.
- The visa issue is being addressed with a five-year Schengen visa for Indians who pursue a postgraduate course in France.
- The operationalisation of the Young Professionals Scheme under the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement will help.
- The University Grants Commission revised rules regarding foreign universities setting up campuses in India.
- Sorbonne University, established in the 13th century, is globally renowned, and has had a campus in the United Arab Emirates since 2006.
- A campus in India should be identified as a priority objective.
- Strategic Partnership’ does not require convergence on all issues but sensitivity so that differences, where these exist, are expressed in private and not publicly.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
To what extent can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically.(UPSC 2015) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
