Background
A few weeks after his state visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday embarked on an official visit to France where he will take part in the annual Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour. An Indian tri-services contingent will also be part of the parade this year. The two-day visit comes as France and India have sought to deepen their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and the defence, security, and technological domains.
India and France have traditionally had close and friendly relations. In 1998, when French President Chirac visited India, both countries entered into a strategic partnership which affirmed their convergence of views and signalled a close and growing bilateral relationship. The areas of defence cooperation, space cooperation and civil nuclear cooperation constitute three principle pillars of their strategic partnership. Apart from these traditional fields, India and France are increasingly engaged in new areas of cooperation like climate change, sustainable growth and development and the International Solar Alliance.
Both countries support a multi-polar world order. France has continued to support India’s claim for permanent membership of the Security Council and the reforms of the United Nations. France has provided consistent support to India’s candidature for the membership of all four Multilateral Export Control regimes, viz. Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) and the Australia Group (AG). France continues to support India’s bid for accession to the NSG.
India and France have consistently condemned terrorism and have resolved to work together for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN. There has been significant progress in all areas of their bilateral cooperation due to frequent high-level meetings.
Annual Defence Dialogue
During the visit of President Macron to India in March 2018, the two countries decided to create an Annual Defence Dialogue at the ministerial level. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with Minister of Armed Forces of the French Republic, Sebastien Lecornu, in New Delhi in November 2022. The ministers reviewed the ongoing military-to-military cooperation which has increased substantially in recent years. They also discussed means to strengthen maritime cooperation and increase the scope and complexity of bilateral exercises.
One of the key areas of discussion was defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’. Future collaborations and potential co-production opportunities were discussed. The ministers recognised their convergences on a number of strategic and defence issues and shared the commitment to work together on enhancing cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral fora, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. France is the current Chair of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and both countries cooperate closely in these fora.
Regular exchange of visits at the level of Services Chiefs already takes place. The three Services also have regular defence exercises. FRINJEX-23 between the Indian Army and French Army was conducted at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on March 7-8, 2023. A major annual aero-naval event, whose first edition dates back to 1983, is ‘VARUNA’ in which the French and the Indian Navies deploy and operate together and exemplifies the high level of trust between them. The 2023 edition took place on the Western Seaboard in January. The 7th Bilateral Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) – ‘Exercise Garuda-VII’ – was held in Jodhpur in November 2022. The FASF participated in the exercise with Rafale fighter jets and A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, while the IAF contingent comprised Su-30 MKI, Rafale, LCA ‘Tejas’ and Jaguar fighter aircraft.
Various staff courses and training programmes also take place regularly. Apart from Service-level Staff talks, the two sides have a High Committee on Defence Cooperation (HCDC) which meets annually at the level of Defence Secretary and the French Director General of the Directorate of International.
Major Defence-Related Projects
France has supplied India with military aircraft since the 1950s. It has consistently proven to be a dependable supplier and a dependable partner. This tie began in 1953 with the purchase of a first-generation jet fighter named the Toofani for the IAF, the Dassault Ouragan. Later in 1956, the IAF also received the Dassault Mystere IV, which was used in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. The single-engine Mirage 2000 fleet of multirole aircraft from Dassault, introduced at the beginning of the 1980s, succeeded the Mystere IV. Since then, the Mirage-2000 has been the frontline multirole fighter in the IAF and has proven its mettle during the Kargil War in 1998.
The inter-governmental agreement for the purchase of 36 Rafale jets by India in flyaway condition was signed in New Delhi on 23 September 23, 2016, by the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and French Defence Minister Le Drian. The induction of the 36 Rafales for $8.98 billion was completed six years later.
In the past, major weapon platforms have included AMX-13 Light Tanks, Alizé Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft, and Alouette Light Helicopters. SS11 B1 and MILAN anti-tank missiles and Air Surveillance Radars as also the engine for the Dhruv LCH. India also operates five Scorpene-class (Kalvari-class) submarines, while the sixth is currently undergoing sea trials. These six conventional diesel-electric submarines with advanced stealth features were built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) through a technology transfer from DCNS.
Maritime Domain
In recent years, there has been significant progress in India-France Maritime Security Cooperation, with a focus on the Indian Ocean Region. India is keen to develop ties with nations that have stakes in this region. France has sought to emphasise its identity as an Indo-Pacific nation and both nations are keen on cooperating in this region.
India, with its 7500-kilometre-long coastline and two million square kilometres of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), is a key power in the region. The IoR facilitates much of India’s trade. France, on the other hand, is a state of the Indian Ocean Area due to its overseas possessions of the Mayotte and La Réunion Islands, as well as a substantial EEZ. There are 4,100 French forces stationed in the Indian Ocean, including deployments in overseas territories, Djibouti and Abu Dhabi. As a result of their considerable interests, both countries want to ensure peace and stability in the IOR.
Both nations have a history of fruitful collaboration and engagement between their fleets. The first naval exercise between India and France took place in 1983 and was named ‘Varuna’ in 2001. The 19th iteration of the ‘Varuna’ bilateral exercises occurred in the Arabian Sea in April 2019. It was a massive drill involving both fleets’ frontline battleships, submarines, aircraft carriers, and other combat equipment.
The two governments agreed on a Joint Strategic Vision of the India-France Partnership in the Indian Ocean Area in March 2018. The vision document stated that the two democracies “shared concerns about emerging challenges in the IOR, including the security of maritime traffic in the face of terrorism and piracy, particularly in the Horn of Africa; respect of international law by all states, an organised crime such as trafficking and illegal fishing; climate change, environmental and natural resource protection.” Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to further cooperation in the IOR and indicated a willingness to collaborate with additional like-minded nations.
Recently, French Navy Ships FS Dixmude, an amphibious helicopter carrier and La Fayette, a frigate visited Kochi from Mar 6-10, 2023, as part of a circumnavigation mission. Indo-French Naval cooperation is a key element in strengthening regional maritime security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The visit of the French ships significantly contributes towards strong bilateral defence ties and strategic partnerships.
Defence Aspects of PM Modi’s Visit
One of the key highlights of this visit is the defence deals worth over Rs 90,000 crore. This includes 26 Rafale M aircraft including 22 single-seaters and four trainer versions. The three additional submarines from DCNS will be a part of the Scorpene deal under the Ministry of Defence’s Project 75 aimed at the planned procurement of diesel-electric submarines for the Indian Navy. The deals will be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) before being announced in France.
As per Commodore Anil Jai Singh, “It is not that these three submarines are going to come in the next two-three years to meet our immediate requirement. These submarines will also take some years before their contract is signed, costs are discussed and finalized and the construction starts.”
The Navy is believed to have recently shortlisted the twin-engine, Rafale-M over Boeing’s F/A-18 Block III ‘Super Hornet’ naval fighter following trials for possible deployment aboard INS Vikrant, the newly commissioned aircraft carrier. One of the factors could also be due to the French fighter’s ‘commonality’ with the 36 Rafales that have recently been inducted into the IAF.
It is also reported that France has expressed its willingness to partner with the DRDO, DAE, and the Navy in building six SSNs. The Navy’s SSN project was approved in early 2015, with the first such 6,000-tonne boats scheduled for completion by 2032-33. The SSNs were intended to supplement and operationally support the Navy’s four locally designed and constructed 7,000-tonne Arihant-class nuclear-powered missile submarines (SSBNs), built with Russian know-how and technical assistance.
Earlier this year, France had offered to jointly develop SSNs with India under the aegis of its Atmanirbharta initiative designed to enhance self-sufficiency in materiel requirements, by transferring technology based on its Barracuda-class SSNs, the first of which, INS Suffren, was commissioned into the French Navy in mid-2022.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit will also be useful in the context of the Ukraine war, where Indian and European perceptions differ. Strengthening strategic components of the partnership with France could also reassure other EU nations that despite a few differences, partnership with India continues to be crucial. After Brexit, France is now the only nuclear weapon state within the EU, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Conclusion
As the Indian troops march in the Bastille Day Parade, the French public should be aware that the presence of these troops not only marks 25 years of the ‘Strategic Dialogue’ but also the significant role it played during the First World War when the Indian servicemen served with credit and honour on the battlefields of France and Flanders.
The Indian Army at that time was trained and equipped for warfare on the frontier of India. Their weapons were a generation behind those of the Western Armies, yet they performed admirably in adapting to the changed conditions and environment while embracing new technology. Their fighting spirit, discipline, adaptability and valour stood out. France no doubt recognises this and hence, the enduring relationship.
France is one of India’s most trusted strategic partners and both countries look forward to celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership in 2023. This visit will also deliver common initiatives to respond to the key challenges of our time, including climate change, biodiversity loss and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and will be an opportunity for India and France to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism, including in the context of India’s G20 Presidency. Defence undoubtedly remains a major pillar of our relationship.
The author is an Army veteran. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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