Dr Bharti Chhibber
The recent visit of New French President Francois Hollande has contributed further to an enduring partnership between India and France. Although the much discussed sale of 126 Rafale combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force deal could not be signed, President Hollande and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated their desire to cooperate in joint research and development and transfer of technology in the area of defence. France chose India for President Holland’s first visit to an Asian country underlines the significance of the relations between the two countries. French President in an interview to an Indian daily stressed that Indo-French partnership ‘is built on a solid foundation, that of values that we share: democracy, attachment to sovereignty, a never-waning interest in each other’s culture, the will for social progress. Our constitutions affirm that we are secular republics… India is an emerging power and will increasingly matter on the international scene’.
Defence cooperation with France is a key aspect of bilateral relationship between the two states. India-France relations saw an upward swing with the establishment of the strategic partnership in 1998. Both the countries share close military co-operation and intelligence sharing network. Following the waiver by International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group enabling India to resume full civil nuclear cooperation with the international community, France was the first country with which India entered into an agreement on nuclear energy. Moreover, France has been a strong supporter of India’s increasing role in international organisations especially in the United Nations Security Council, to make it more representative of the contemporary world. Earlier ex-French President Sarkozy in his 2010 Indian visit had endorsed Indian candidature for the four multilateral export controls regimes: the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which controls nuclear goods, the Missile Technology Control Regime which controls missile and space related goods, the Australia Group which controls chemical as well as biological agents, and the Wassenaar Arrangement which controls conventional weapons and other dual use goods.
The joint statement at the end of President Hollande’s visit too noted that the projects for the Scorpene submarine and upgradation of Mirage 2000 are moving forward and steps are being taken for early finalisation of the Short Range Surface to Air Missile project. Once approved by the government, these will be co-developed and co-produced in India. $6 billion project would be developed by MBDA of France and DRDO in India. Both the leaders also noted the progress of ongoing negotiations on the Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft programme and look forward to its conclusion. Similarly, in an effort to allay concerns about the safety of the Jaitapur nuclear plant, the two leaders also stressed that the Jaitapur units ‘would incorporate the highest safety standards’. In December 2010, a project was signed for two European pressurised reactors at Jaitapur 400 km south of Mumbai, with an option for four more reactors. The $9.3 billion framework agreement is a contract for Areva to build a 9,900-megawatt nuclear power plant. It has run into stiff opposition from environmentalists who are concerned about seismic activity in the area as well as fears about the safety of nuclear power following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
As the Indian Ocean is critical for both the states, whether it is the question of French bases in the region or dependence on oil imports, cooperation potential is immense in this area not only in information exchange and joint anti-piracy operations but in the wake of China’s growing dominance. Indo-French Naval Exercise, Varuna was held in the Indian Ocean in January 2011. Further joint military exercises like Indo-French Air Force Exercise Garuda IV was held at Istres air base in France in June 2010 with participation of SU MKI aircraft from India and the first India-France joint army exercise, ‘Shakti’, was conducted in India at Chaubattia in October 2011. India can further learn or take advantage of French security technologies in the sphere of terrorist or cyber attack. Already a ‘Joint Working Group on Terrorism’ for cooperation in the fight against terrorism exists.
India and France also share close cooperation in the field of space collaboration. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its French counterpart Centre National de Etudes Spatiales (CNES) hold annual bilateral meetings. Arianespace provides launch facilities for Indian Satellites. On 12 October 2011, ISRO and CNES jointly developed Megha-Tropiques Earth observation satellite to understand the monsoon dynamics and its forecasting was successfully launched from Sriharikota. During President Hollande’s visit too ISRO and CNES have jointly identified the means to pursue further cooperation including possibilities through missions, exchange of young scientists and professionals and conducting thematic workshops.
In the field of education, India- France exchange programme include Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Chairs in Sanskrit/Indian Economy in France. During the visit of ex-President Sarkozy to India in 2010, MoUs between Indian Institute of Technology ( Khargpur, Bombay, Chennai, Kanpur, Delhi, Guwahati and Roorkee) and Paris Tech- a consortium of Grand Ecoles, and another between IIT- Bombay and Group des Ecole des Mines were signed. Likewise, President Hollande’s visit has resulted in cooperation between University of Delhi and Sciences Po, Paris.
In the cultural sphere, Indian events on art, music, dance and literature are quite popular in France. The ICCR sponsors visits of Indian artists to France as also exchange of students in the field of culture and art. Indian Film Festivals are organised round the year in France. Likewise, French Cultural Festival ‘Bonjour India’ was held in India in 2009.
However, it is in the area of economic cooperation that the two states are not optimally utilising their capabilities. There are Joint Working Groups on IT & Telecom, Roads, Environment, Urban Development & Urban Transportation and Agriculture. In 2010, the bilateral trade increased about 31% over 2009 to euro 7.03 billion. Trade between India and France was valued at about 8 billion euros in 2011-12 whereas the target was to achieve 12 billion euros by 2012. As of now, electrical equipment, aeronautical & space construction products, measuring equipments, iron & steel products, mechanical equipments, organic and other chemical products, general & special usage machines, equipment for reception & recording of sound & image, machine tools, engines and turbines comprises France exports to India. Indian exports consist of refined petroleum products, garments, textiles and apparel, accessories, leather clothes and footwear. The Indo-French CEOs Forum was formed in 2009 with the mandate to identify new avenues for cooperation and coordination. President Hollande is keen on developing bilateral economic cooperation which was clear by the presence of over 60 French corporate leaders in Mumbai meeting who had accompanied him and President’s open invitation to Indian firms to invest in France. To expand trade and investment, in a joint statement the two sides mentioned that they have decided ‘to establish an annual bilateral dialogue between the two Finance Ministries on economic and financial issues’.
In the final, French President Hollande’s India visit is sure to pave way for deeper and stronger cooperation which is vital for a truly strategic engagement. However, it is critical that collaboration is further encouraged in all spheres be it economic, defence, political, space, science & technology, culture or education to build a long lasting comprehensive partnership.
(The author teaches Political Science in University of Delhi)
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