Synopsis: On July 13 and 14, PM Modi will visit France while negotiations for Rafale-M fighters, Scorpene submarines, and 5th Gen engines for AMCA aircraft continue.
The “common vision” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron has provided “strong guidance” as the India-France strategic partnership approaches its quarter-century mark, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said on Wednesday, ahead of Mr. Modi’s two-day trip to France begins today.
The highlight of Mr. Modi’s Paris itinerary is the Bastille Day military parade, where he will be the primary guest.
His schedule in Paris also includes meetings with the French President and other influential players in French politics and industry.
“India and France have a long-standing strategic alliance that actually encapsulates the several strategic alignments that both nations have on a variety of problems. The 25th anniversary of our strategic alliance is this year. Our strategic cooperation is supported by a number of pillars, and each of these pillars would be discussed during the bilateral meetings the two presidents would hold,” according to Mr. Kwatra, who also provided a more comprehensive strategic context.
Given that India is getting ready to purchase 26 new Rafale-M fighter jets that will complement India’s maritime military objectives, the PM’s trip to France is being seen as a move toward greater military collaboration between the two nations.
The Defence Acquisition Council, the top decision-making body for procurement in the Defence Ministry, is anticipated to assess the Rafale-M proposal during a meeting on Thursday. The proposal was approved by the Defence Procurement Board prior to the visit.
Several other defense agreements could be finalized during Mr. Modi’s visit, including one in which the Navy would purchase three more Scorpene-class conventional submarines, as well as one in which researchers would work together to create fighter jet engines for fifth-generation advanced medium combat aircraft and a twin-engine deck-based fighter that would operate from carriers.
“The two delegations will talk about how they might work together on civil nuclear challenges, space, cyber security technology, counterterrorism, climate change, renewable energy, and the global solar alliance.
Reorientation of our security partnership in line with AtmanirbharBharat [Self-reliant India] objectives, supply chain integration between the industry and business segments of the two countries would all form part of discussions under the bilateral talks between the two leaders,” Mr. Kwatra stated, referring to the “robust upswing” in bilateral trade between India and France.
“As part of our participation in the Bastille Day celebrations, a large tri-services contingent from India will also participate in the Bastille Day parade, along with three Indian Air Force aircraft which would also take part in the fly past,” he continued.
The parade will feature the three services’ marching units as well as a 242-person military band.
The military band will have 38 members, whereas each service component will have 68.
INS Chennai, a stealth destroyer built in India, landed in France on Wednesday, the same day as France’s national holiday.
Thursday at noon, Mr. Modi will arrive in Paris and have his first meeting with French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, followed by a meeting with Gérard Larcher, President of the French Senate.
On Thursday night, he will participate in a conversation with members of the Indian community, which will be followed by a private dinner that Mr. Macron will host at the Elysee Palace.
Since their initial meeting in June 2017, Mr. Modi and Mr. Macron have remained in constant communication.
Recent discussions on a resolution to the Ukrainian conflict between the two parties are anticipated to serve as the context for the engagement between the two delegations. The two presidents’ meeting on May 20 outside of the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, took place just a few months before to their trip to Paris.
Despite recent violent anti-police riots in Paris and a number of other major French cities, Mr. Kwatra predicted that Mr. Modi’s visit wouldn’t be affected.
A meeting with Yal Braun-Pivet, the head of the French National Assembly, is on Mr. Modi’s agenda for July 14.
“We believe that the Prime Minister’s visit to France will set new benchmarks in our strategic partnerships in the years to come,” Mr. Kwatra said. “It will be rich in substance and also in form.”
After his trip to Paris, Mr. Modi is scheduled to land in the United Arab Emirates on July 15. There, he will meet President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and engage in bilateral talks after a ceremonial welcome.
In February 2022, the UAE and India signed a comprehensive economic partnership pact, adding a new layer to an already close relationship.
The G-20 meeting, which will be held in Delhi in September, will have the UAE as a “guest country.”
The common vision shared by Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron has provided strong guidance to the bilateral relationship, which is approaching its 25th anniversary.
The visit focuses on various aspects, including military collaboration, defense agreements, civil nuclear cooperation, space exploration, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, climate change, renewable energy, and trade.
