Takeaways from the French President's visit to India

Outcomes of the Visit:

The successive state visits and attendance at each other’s National Days by the two leaders fall in line with the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the two countries' Strategic Partnership Declaration. These visits also suggest a high point in the India-France bilateral ties symbolising common values and a willingness to solidify partnerships between the two countries [1]. Accompanying President Macron was the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Mr. Stéphane Sejourné, Minister of the Armed Forces, Mr. Sébastien Lecornu, and Minister of Culture Ms Rachida Dati. The French delegation further included C-suite executive members of French companies and other important figures like ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet [2].

This visit led to several agreements being signed between India and France crossing multiple sectors like defense, space exploration, civil aviation, research and technology, health, public administration, and urban development, and announced plans to further collaborate in a variety of other sectors, including UPI, renewable energy, visa challenges, and more [3]. President Macron later shared his thoughts on social media posting a video from his trip to New Delhi and the Republic Day celebrations. The post read, "A look back at an exceptional trip in India," further highlighting France's aim for "more and more investments" in India in the video and also provided insights from his trip [4].

Growing momentum in bilateral ties:

India views France as a friendly and reliable partner in the Western world whose views stand distinct from the other Anglo-Saxon countries. In the successive visits, Indian soldiers had marched on the Champs-Élysées in Paris during the Bastille Day celebrations followed by a marching parade by the French troops on Kartavya Path in 2024 Republic Day celebrations, with two Rafales and an Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft taking part in the aerial display. These demonstrations hint at the two countries moving beyond mere diplomatic engagements and inching closer together more strategically, politically, and emotionally [5].

The growing momentum of strengthened ties between India and France is also driven by President Macron's supportive attitude in the UN Security Council on issues important to India which further bolsters the foundation of their longstanding alliance. French support for India's concerns on issues such as countering terrorism, maritime security, and climate change has further increased their validity and traction. This diplomatic engagement has strengthened the foundation of their friendship by displaying France's commitment to work for India's interests on a global scale. The strong ties have also benefited the two countries' economies, with increased business presence, trade, and investment. Over 1,000 French enterprises operate in India, and vice versa, with bilateral commerce projected to reach $19.2 billion in 2022-23. The continuing negotiations for an India-EU Free Trade Agreement demonstrate their commitment to increasing economic ties. Furthermore, interpersonal relations have grown with collaborative endeavors in trade, investment, science, technology, and education. France's active support for India's global solar alliance, as well as its involvement in a variety of vital fields such as space research, satellite technology, energy, and climate change, demonstrate the scope of their combined efforts [6].

Towards Horizon 2047:

The distinctiveness of the India-France bilateral ties was reinforced in July 2023 upon PM Modi’s visit to France where PM Modi and President Macron expressed a shared vision for 2047, the centennial of India's independence, and the 50th anniversary of the strategic partnership formed in 1998 [7]. This roadmap offers a three-dimensional approach to collaborative work. The first is the Partnership for Security and Sovereignty, which addresses problems such as defense, space, innovation collaboration, and Indo-Pacific competition. Second, the Partnership for the Planet addresses topics such as climate, pollution, sustainability, ecology, and biodiversity loss. Finally, the Partnership for People focuses on young people, namely student mobility and cultural connections [8].

Horizon 2047 provides a reliable framework for assessing the outcome of President Marcon's recent visit, considering its global, regional, and bilateral dimensions [9] since the state visit resulted in nine bilateral agreements being signed and seven important announcements, alongside the release of a 41-paragraph 'Joint Statement' [10].

Key Takeaways:

During the visit, both parties have showcased a significant convergence of interests on global matters. Acknowledging the successful G20 presidency by India, France "commended" India's bid to host COP33 in 2028 and further reaffirmed their support for India's bid for the International Energy Agency. Their discussion included engagement in the discourse on global challenges such as climate change, plastic pollution, and expanded collaboration on biodiversity and desertification. Furthermore, concerned about regional conflicts that have global repercussions, there was a thorough discussion on Ukraine, Gaza, and the Red Sea. Regarding Ukraine, both parties expressed "deep concern" about the continuation of the war calling for "a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace." For the Israel-Gaza conflict, both parties shared the view that the warring issue required "a humanitarian ceasefire" as well as the immediate release of all hostages. For this, they advocated for a political process that would result in a two-state solution, which is said to be the only way to ensure long-term peace and stability in the region. Both parties were concerned about the escalations in the Red Sea and pushed for the preservation of freedom of navigation and compliance with international maritime law. Another two important points of discussion were the Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation Fund's early operationalization to scale up green technology created in the region and the need for cooperation concerning the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), which was unveiled in September 2023 [11].

On issues of bilateral cooperation, various new decisions were made to increase the level of collaboration in the areas of defense, space, digital technology, the Blue Economy, and youth mobility through which France hopes to raise the number of Indian students at French institutions from 11,000 to 30,000 in the coming years. Among the agreements reached, was the “Defense Industrial Roadmap” [12] which according to India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, will identify opportunities for co-design, co-development, and co-production in the defense industrial sector across domains of air, space, and maritime technology, underwater domain awareness, land warfare, robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, and cyber defense systems [13].

Both parties also signed MoUs on agriculture, digital health, and science and technology collaboration [14]. According to the joint statement, both leaders hailed Airbus and Tata Advanced System's decision to commence civilian helicopter assembly in India, making them the country's first private sector enterprises to undertake the construction of helicopters. According to the agreement, Airbus Helicopters will collaborate with the Tata Group to construct a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for H125 helicopters in India. The FAL will construct helicopters from its civil range for India and export them to adjacent countries. Additionally, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and French space agency Arianespace have agreed to collaborate on the development, manufacturing, and launch of satellites and payloads, as well as research into new launch vehicle technologies [15].

Conclusion:

Strategic autonomy has formed part of the larger diplomatic engagements for both India and France allowing them to pursue closer ties with the United States while maintaining developing yet nuanced ties with other countries like Russia and Iran which is also historically evident in their previous positions held during and after the Cold War. This similarity in approach to strategic autonomy has manifested into a parallel set of foreign policies and subsequent interactions for both India and France [16]. This similarity in approaches and convergence of interests has seen an increased momentum in the Indo-Pacific region. The two countries' shared interest in the Indo-Pacific area stems from their geographical location and history as maritime powers in the Indian Ocean. Moreover, the new India-France Indo-Pacific strategy aligns PM Modi's vision of SAGAR i.e., Security and Growth for All in the Region with President Macron's Indo-Pacific Strategy, emphasizing security and cooperation [17].

The significance of France and India's collaboration extends beyond the extensive roadmaps and memoranda of understanding that were agreed upon. The two countries have developed a strong cross-sectoral partnership and a shared vision for the future of the world order. Here, if evolving geopolitical dynamics are to be considered, a strong bilateral relationship with India supports France's efforts to position itself as a "third way" for Indo-Pacific countries stuck between the United States and China simultaneously positioning India as a link between France and emerging global powers. This strategic alliance does not exist in a vacuum; how France and India interact with other major powers, especially the United States and China, will determine their potential to change the current international order and better execute their shared conceptions of strategic autonomy [18].

Endnotes:

1.       India - France Joint Statement on the State Visit of H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of French Republic, to India (25 - 26 January 2024), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, 26 January 2024 https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/37534/India__France_Joint_Statement_on_the_State_Visit_of_HE_Mr_Emmanuel_Macron_President_of_French_Republic_to_India_25__26_January_2024

2.     H.E. Mr Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic to travel to India on a State visit as Chief Guest of India’s 75th Republic Day celebrations, Ambassade de France en Inde, 24 January 2024 https://in.ambafrance.org/State-Visit-to-India-of-President-Emmanuel-Macron-19885

3.      Adarsh Kumar Gupta, French President Macron's India visit: List of deals inked, announcements made, Hindustan Times, 27 January 2024 https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/french-president-macrons-india-visit-list-of-deals-inked-announcements-made-101706331642901.html

4.     Fareha Naaz, French President Emmanuel Macron shares video of his recent visit to India; PM Modi replies ‘will boost our friendship’, Live Mint, 05 February 2024 https://www.livemint.com/news/french-president-emmanuel-macron-shares-video-of-his-recent-visit-to-india-pm-modi-replies-will-boost-our-friendship-11707093293086.html

5.     Rajiv Bhatia, President Macron’s India visit: A synthesis of symbolism and substance, WION, 27 January 2024 https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/president-macrons-visit-a-synthesis-of-symbolism-and-substance-684332

6.     Girish Kumar Anshul, Why Emmanuel Macron and the French are India's closest 'mitron', India Today, 25 January 2024 https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/emanuel-macron-pm-narendra-modi-75-republic-day-chief-guest-26-january-indo-french-strategic-partnership-2493216-2024-01-25

7.     Rajiv Bhatia, President Macron’s India visit: A synthesis of symbolism and substance, WION, 27 January 2024 https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/president-macrons-visit-a-synthesis-of-symbolism-and-substance-684332

8.     Horizon 2047: 25th Anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, Towards A Century of India-France Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, 14 July 2023 https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/36806/Horizon_2047_25th_Anniversary_of_the_IndiaFrance_Strategic_Partnership_Towards_A_Century_of_IndiaFrance_Relations

9.     Rajiv Bhatia, President Macron’s India visit: A synthesis of symbolism and substance, WION, 27 January 2024 https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/president-macrons-visit-a-synthesis-of-symbolism-and-substance-684332

10.  India - France Joint Statement on the State Visit of H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of French Republic, to India (25 - 26 January 2024), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, 26 January 2024 https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/37534/India__France_Joint_Statement_on_the_State_Visit_of_HE_Mr_Emmanuel_Macron_President_of_French_Republic_to_India_25__26_January_2024

11.    Rajiv Bhatia, President Macron’s India visit: A synthesis of symbolism and substance, WION, 27 January 2024 https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/president-macrons-visit-a-synthesis-of-symbolism-and-substance-684332

12.   Rajiv Bhatia, President Macron’s India visit: A synthesis of symbolism and substance, WION, 27 January 2024 https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/president-macrons-visit-a-synthesis-of-symbolism-and-substance-684332

13.   Shubhajit Roy, Air and space to AI and sea: India, France adopt new roadmap of defence production, Indian Express, 27 January 2024 https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-france-roadmap-on-defence-industrial-ties-9129221/

14.  Ceremony and substance: On the Macron visit, India-France ties, The Hindu, 29 January 2024 https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/ceremony-and-substance-on-the-macron-visit-india-france-ties/article67786248.ece

15.   India-France defence industrial roadmap; Tata, Airbus sign helicopter deal, Business Standard, 27 January 2024 https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/india-france-defence-industrial-roadmap-tata-airbus-sign-helicopter-deal-124012700004_1.html

16.  Mathieu Droin, Rajesh Basrur, Nicolas Blarel, and Jyotsna Mehra, France and India: Two Nuances of 'Strategic Autonomy', Center for Strategic and International Studies, 13 July 2023 https://www.csis.org/analysis/france-and-india-two-nuances-strategic-autonomy

17.   Monish Tourangbam and Mayank Chari, The French Connection: India-France Partnership for the Indo-Pacific Zeitgeist, Issue Brief, Institute for Security and Development Policy, 21 September 2023 https://isdp.eu/content/uploads/2023/09/Brief-France-Sep-21-FINAL.pdf

18.  Chloe Laird and Jason C. Moyer, France and India’s Strategic Partnership in a Contested World, Wilson Center, 30 November 2023 https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/france-and-indias-strategic-partnership-contested-world

Pic Courtsey-Andy Li at unsplash.com

(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)