New era of India-France ties

The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France defined a new era in already-strong bilateral ties between the two countries. 

Key-highlights of PM’s visit

• The visit coincided with 25 years of the oldest among India’s almost 30 strategic partnerships around the world —since the two nations committed themselves to it in 1998.
• Prime Minister of India attended the Guest of Honour at France’s Bastille Day parade in Paris.

• Addressing global challenges: During the visit, the importance of the partnership was highlighted in how it sought to address global challenges, including climate change, clean energy, health, food security, and development, among others.
• Technological exchange: Both countries signed agreements on the acquisition of;
  • 26 Rafale-M (the marine version) fighters for the Indian Navy
  • Co-production of three more Scorpene class submarines at the public sector Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd
  • Six Scorpene/Kalvari-class submarines
• Horizon 2047 Roadmap: The ambitious ‘Horizon 2047 Roadmap: Charting the future ofIndia-France Strategic Partnership’ was adopted to set the next course of the relationship till 2047, the year India will celebrate the centenary of its independence.
  • The roadmap is founded on three critical pillars of partnership: for security and sovereignty, for the planet, and for people. 

India-France Relations:

• Background:
  • France was the first country to recognise the strategic importance of India after the nuclear tests in 1998.
  • The partnership with France is India’s most important strategic partnership in Europe.
• Recent developments:
  • In October 2022, they signed a Road Map on Green Hydrogen, which aims “to bring the French and Indian hydrogen ecosystems together” to establish a reliable and sustainable value chain for a global supply of decarbonised hydrogen.
  • For Trade and commerce: An MoU signed in June 2023, between NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Lyra, a France-based payment services provider, is going to get implemented soon to enable UPI and RuPay payments in Europe.
  • Trade: Bilateral trade reached a new peak at $13.4 billion in 2022-23, with exports from India crossing $7 billion. Indian imports are also significant and stood at around $5.8 billion during 2022-23. On the investment front, France is India’s 11th largest foreign investor and recorded a cumulative investment of $10.5 billion in India between April 2000 and March 2023.

Importance of France for India:

• France support & similar views on China: India remains hopeful that differences over the war in Ukraine will not block a positive outcome.
  • The visit could provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister to understand better the French and European assessment of the war, and be prepared to take “tough decisions” with regard to forging consensus at the G20 summit.
• To overcome lacks amid Russia-Ukraine conflict: Due to Russia’s uncertain stand on India’s defence and technology deals amid war, France can become a strategic partner to India.
• India can harness France potential for Technology and military: France could be an important partner for building maritime domain awareness and keep an eye on China’s presence in the region, augmenting New Delhi’s participation in the Quad.

Existing Bilateral Partnership:

• Institutional Dialogue relating to strategic areas - India and France have a range of regular institutional dialogue - India-France Strategic Dialogue takes place between NSAs from both sides, Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism (led at the level of Additional Secretary (CT), MEA), Cyber Dialogue (led at the level of Additional Secretary (IO), MEA), Track 1.5 Dialogue (led by Joint Secretary (PP&R), MEA) etc.
• Space Cooperation - India and France have a rich history of cooperation in the field of space going back to fifty years with ISRO and the French Space Agency, CNES carrying on various joint research programmes and launch of satellites. The jointly developed MeghaTropiques satellite which observes clouds and water vapours over the tropical region continues to be in good health and providing valuable scientific data. A joint Ka-band propagation experiment is also under implementation.
• Civil Nuclear Cooperation - A landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation was signed between India and France in 2008 during the visit of Prime Minister. Subsequently, the General Framework Agreement and the Early Works Agreement for the implementation of EPR for the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) were signed. Regular negotiations are going on towards finalization of a General Framework Agreement on other project-related parameters.
• Economic Cooperation - Both India and France have important bilateral investments and trade and commercial cooperation. A Joint Economic Committee exists at the level of Ministers of Commerce and Foreign Trade from both sides. Also several bilateral joint working groups in various fields like IT & Telecommunications, roads, sustainable Urban Development, Agriculture and Food Processing, Energy (International solar alliance)etc. exists.
• Cultural Cooperation -It is estimated that the Indian community, including NRIs in mainland France number around 106,000, largely originating from French enclaves of Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam, Mahe and Chandernagore. Thus, Indian culture enjoys wide admiration among the people of France.