In 2023, the President of France and the Prime Minister of India elevated the ‘Partnership for the Planet’ as a key pillar of the Indo-French Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
Background
The year 2023 marked the 25th anniversary of the India-France
Strategic Partnership. The Indo-French Horizon 2047 is structured
around three main pillars:
- Partnership for Security and Sovereignty
- Partnership for the Planet
- Partnership for the People
Partnership for Environment Sustainability
In 2023, four major environmental protection projects were initiated between India and France:
- Rajasthan Forest Project: Aimed at increasing forest cover, improving wildlife habitats, and sustaining local community
livelihoods. - Himachal Pradesh Sanitation Project: Focused on enhancing sanitation infrastructure in small towns.
- Solid Waste Management Project: Targeting improvements in waste management across 18 cities as part of India’s
CITIIS circular economy programme. - Green Credit Line: Established with the State Bank of India to fund electric buses and energy-efficient housing.
Strategic Partnership:
- France was the first country to engage in a Strategic Dialogue with India following the 1998 nuclear tests.
- Unlike other nations, France did not impose bilateral sanctions on India, showing a deeper understanding of India’s
security needs. - India and France established their first strategic partnership.
Economic Relations:
- Bilateral trade reached $13.4 billion in 2022-23.
- France is a significant investor in India, with FDI inflows of $659.77 million in FY 2022-23.
- In FY 2023-24, Indian exports to France were $3.06 billion, while imports from France were $2.36 billion.
Defense Cooperation:
- Bilateral defense ties are reviewed through the Annual Defence Dialogue and the High Committee on Defence Cooperation.
- The 2005 P-75 Scorpene Deal involved building six Scorpène submarines in India with French assistance.
- The procurement of Rafale jets highlights the strong defense relationship.
- Regular joint defense exercises include the Air forces’ Garuda series, Armies’ Shakti, and Navies’ Varuna.
Space Collaboration:
- A longstanding cooperation exists between ISRO and the French Space Agency (CNES), spanning over 50 years.
- France is a major supplier of components and equipment for India’s space program.
Energy Cooperation:
- In 2023, both leaders noted progress in discussions on the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project, although progress has been
slow since the first pact in 2008. - They agreed to partner on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR).
- The International Solar Alliance was jointly launched by India and France.
Education:
- Around 10,000 Indian students are studying in France.
- A 2018 agreement on mutual recognition of degrees has facilitated student exchanges.
- In 2023, an agreement was reached to increase the number of Indian students in France to 30,000 by 2030.
Indian Community in France:
Approximately 119,000 Indians (including NRIs) reside in mainland France, mainly from Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam,
Mahe, Chandernagore, and states like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Punjab.
Tourism:
- In 2019, 250,000 French tourists visited India, and 700,000 Indian tourists traveled to France.
- Rajasthan remains the most popular Indian destination for French tourists.
International Support:
- France supports India’s bid for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council and UN reforms.
- France played a crucial role in India’s accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Wassenaar
Arrangement (WA), and Australia Group (AG) and continues to support India’s bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). - Both nations are working together for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at
the UN.