New Delhi: Marking 25 years of their strategic relations, India and France outlined the trajectory of its bilateral ties till 2047, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreeing on 63 initiatives Friday. This came during PM Modi’s two-day France visit this week.
From defence, nuclear energy & space, to eliminating single-use plastic and a five-year Schengen visa, the countries agreed to “strengthen cooperation in the sectors of the future” as a part of the ‘Horizon 2047’ framework.
After holding bilateral talks at France’s Élysée Palace on a range of issues, PM Modi called France “a natural partner” in India’s journey of becoming a developed nation. In 2047, India will celebrate 100 years of Independence as well as diplomatic relations with France and the two countries will share 50 years of strategic partnership.
In the joint agreement, available on the ministry of external affairs (MEA) website, the two nations adopted three pillars — focusing on security, planet and people — guiding the bilateral ties for the next 25 years.
Nuclear projects to people connect
The two countries established a partnership on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR) as well as for continuing cooperation on nuclear energy projects such as the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) in Maharashtra and the Jules Horowitz Research Reactor (JHR) in Cadarache, France.
Working together on nuclear energy plays an essential role in the two nations’ aim to become low carbon economies and achieve their Paris Climate Agreement targets, among other goals.
Another essential takeaway from the agreement is Paris and New Delhi’s commitment to eliminate single-use plastic pollution including negotiations on a new international instrument to end the problem.
The document also highlights Indo-French cooperation on increasing energy security through initiatives such as Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership, International Solar Alliance and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) to protect marine and terrestrial biodiversity.
“In the turbulence and challenges of our times, this partnership means more than ever before – upholding the international law; advancing cohesion in a fragmenting world, reforming and reinvigorating the multilateral system,” the two leaders stated in a joint communication Friday.
Key aspects within the Indo-French partnership for security include continuing cooperation on fighter jets and submarines after the delivery of the 36 Rafale jets for the IAF and the success of the P75 programme consisting of six Scorpene submarines. India is also setting up a technical office of the defence research agency, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), at its embassy in Paris.
French space agency Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have signed several agreements on reusable launchers. Other key agreements include finalisation of the joint Earth observation satellite, TRISHNA (Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High resolution Natural resource Assessment), and the first phase of a constellation of maritime surveillance satellites in the Indian Ocean.
The two countries also reinforced ties on critical technology especially in artificial intelligence, and quantum computing among others.
PM Modi also noted after the bilateral talks Friday that New Delhi and Paris have always remained united in their “war against terror”, reiterating his stance on the significance of “dialogue and diplomacy” in resolving disputes.
Another pillar of this joint framework is concentrating on people-to-people relations, as part of which a new Indian Consulate to be opened in Marseille and a Bureau de France in Hyderabad.
Modi and Macron also agreed to grant long term visas to Indian origin French citizens and a five-year short-stay Schengen visa for Indian students with a Master’s degree from a French university.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
Also read: Germany releases 1st ever strategy on China — not ‘decoupling’, but looking to ‘reduce dependence’