France is one of the largest suppliers of nuclear fuel to India and a major supplier of military equipment including Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft and Scorpene submarines.

French President François Hollande will arrive in New Delhi later this month. He is to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade on January 26. He will be the fifth time a French dignitary and fourth time a French President will be the Chief Guest at this event; earlier occasions being Prime Minister Jacques Chirac (1998), President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing (1980), President Jacques Chirac (2006) and President Nicolas Sarkozy (2008).

French President with Prime Minister of India

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is scheduled to arrive January 18 to oversee conclusion of the inter-governmental agreement for direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets and clear the path for signing the final agreement. However, delays occurred due to differences over offsets, unit price, changes sought in configuration, plus the offset clause requiring companies investing 30 per cent of value back in the country for defence deals over Rs. 300 crore. As per media reports, a workaround has already been agreed upon.

In November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Paris to attend the UN Climate Change Conference, where he and President Hollande invited over 100 world leaders to join the ISPA (International Agency for Solar Policy and Applications). France and India enjoy excellent relations with the India-France Strategic Partnership having been signed in 1998, the bilateral relationship has been strengthening steadily. The strategic partnership has resulted in extensive cooperation in the domains of aerospace, civil nuclear energy, science and technology cooperation and deep-rooted cultural ties, besides military matters.

Indo-French defence partnership and cooperation goes back to Carnatic Wars. Indian participation in both World Wars included battles on French soil. An Indian military contingent (400 strong) led the Bastille Day parade in 2009 for which the Prime Minister of India was the chief guest. This year a French military contingent will participate in our Republic Day parade. Indo-French Naval Exercises, Indo-French Air Force Exercises and Indo-French Army Exercises are held periodically. France is a major participant in the International Fleet Review being hosted by India this year. As part of ongoing defence cooperation, issues are progressed periodically through institutionalised forums like the High Level Committee for Defence Cooperation (HCDC) at the level of Defence Secretaries, Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter-terrorism, Indo-French Research Forum (IFRF), etc. High level military exchanges have also been taking place, as well as ship visits. France and India have also instituted a Strategic Dialogue at the level of National Security Advisors.

France is one of the largest suppliers of nuclear fuel to India and a major supplier of military equipment including Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft and Scorpene submarines. As for trade and investment, President Hollande announced an investment of €2 billion in India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Paris last year. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Modi has invited French companies to pump in money in technology in the fastest growing economy – India. France is the ninth largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of approximately €1.5 billion already. The Joint Committee for Economic and Technical Cooperation has been meeting periodically. French companies have been looking for 10 per cent growth in their investments in India amidst growing ties between the two countries. The Indo-French CEOs Forum, formed in 2009, has been tasked to identify new avenues for cooperation and take initiatives to facilitate business links between both countries. The Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) and French National Space Agency have an agreement since 1993, under which joint missions have been successfully developed and launched. The Indo-French Centre for Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPRA) is the nodal framework for promoting bilateral scientific cooperation in fundamental and applied research, frontier technologies and exchange of scientists and post-doctoral researchers.

While India has been battling foreign-sponsored terrorism for over three decades, France was hit twice last year through terror strikes by the ISIS, resulting in French air strikes on ISIS. The need for closer cooperation in counter-terrorism draws the two countries still closer. The Indian Ocean region (IOR), which together with Asia-Pacific forms the Indo-Pacific region, is of concern to both India and France. It stands to reason the issue would be part of the Indo-French Strategic Dialogue considering that the region is fast drawing towards becoming the centre of gravity of future conflict. France maintains a medium military presence in the Persian Gulf region, with air, naval and ground forces in Abu Dhabi, as well as in the Horn of Africa in Djibouti.

France also is for a strong maritime India for strategic equilibrium in the area. France and India’s interests in the IOR are closely aligned, with matching core values and common aims to preserve stability of the region; maintaining the freedom of global commons and in monitoring threats to security of sea lines of communication. There is every reason for Indo-French relations to grow stronger.

The views expressed herein are the personal views of the author.