India-France relations

Context:

During the 4th India-France annual defence dialogue chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Sebastien Lecornu, India and France discussed defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’
India and France have traditionally close and friendly relations.
There is scope to strengthen maritime cooperation and complexity of bilateral exercises.

Political:

1998 Strategic Partnership document signifies convergence of views on a range of international issues and growing bilateral relationship.
France has continued to support India’s claim for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council and the reforms of the United Nations.
France’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific and India’s centrality in the French strategy for the region is of significance as well.

Defense and Security:

Purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft by India in 2016.
P-75 Scorpene Project: The contract for six Scorpene submarines from DCNS (Naval Group) was signed in 2006 and includes technology transfer at the Mazagaon Docks Ltd.

Adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN
Following the Pulwama attack (Feb 2019), France nationally listed the Pakistan-based ‘global terrorist’ Hafiz Saeed, which was followed up by the UN.
France has also supported India’s requests to block attempts by Pakistan to enlist innocent Indian citizens under the UNSC 1267 sanctions Committee based on fabricated charges.

Environment and Technology:

France is a founding member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), announced by PM Modi in 2015 at UN Climate Change CoP21.

Further, India is a member of ITER, a multi-national consortium formed to construct an experimental fusion reactor, located in Cadarache, France.
France’s support was vital in India’s accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) and Australia Group (AG).
France continues to support India’s bid for accession to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Economic cooperation:

There are over a 1000 French businesses in India in variegated sectors such as defense, ITES, consulting, engineering services, heavy industry et al.
France is the 7th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative FDI stock of USD 9 billion from 2000 to 2020, which represents 2 % of the total FDI inflows into India.
In the period April 2018-March 2019, India-France bilateral trade stood at 11.59 billion Euro, India’s exports to France were valued at 6.23 billion Euro meanwhile, French exports to India stood at 5.35 billion Euro.
The 18th Joint Economic Committee meeting 2020 led to the signing of a bilateral ‘Fast Track Mechanism’ for investors. The first meetings were held on 16 February 2022
In 2022, a dedicated desk was set up by Invest India for investor queries.

Covid-19 cooperation:

India supplied France with nearly 2 million hydroxychloroquine tablets and 36 MT of paracetamol (API).
France sent 120 ventilators, 50 thousand serological tests and 50 thousand nose/throat swabs as aid.
France also announced a 200 million euro loan to India to help the vulnerable sections most severely affected by the pandemic.
Over 2500 Indians had been repatriated from France and a similar number of French citizens were repatriated from India to their home countries through special flights.
In the second wave, France provided 18 oxygen plants till date to hospitals across India which will fulfill oxygen requirements for 10 years.
France also supplied over 100 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen to the state of Maharashtra through the French industrial gas producer Air Liquide.
Besides this, P2G assistance also came in from several French companies, including Airbus.

Cultural relations:

The Indian diaspora in France is estimated to be around 5,00,000.
There are more than 50 Indian community organizations active in France, majorly from Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Punjab.
An increasing number of students (nearly 10,000) and professionals studying and working in mainland France.
In 2016, ICCR presented the Namaste France cultural festival in France and the French side presented the French cultural festival Bonjour India from 2017-18.
India will be the Country of Honour for the 2022 edition of the Paris International Book Fair (Livre Paris, June 2022).
The International Day of Yoga has been organized by the Embassy of India in Paris.
In 2022 as part of MEA’s AKAM Week, a French mural artist created a wall art at the Mandi House Metro Station in Delhi on the theme of “A French Garden” to reflect the “enduring friendship” between the two countries.

Way forward:

Though, India has a trade surplus with France but the bilateral trade could be improved.
In recent interactions at the EU level, India has sought an early harvest trade agreement, while working towards a comprehensive FTA.
As G20 members, both nations must focus on reviving global growth.

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