Horizon 2047: Celebrating 25 Years Of The India-France Strategic Partnership

From the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1947 to the upgradation to a strategic partnership in 1998, India and France have come a long way to improve their bilateral relationship. PM Modi’s visit was part of the process to advance Indo-French understanding and cooperation, in order to secure their shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. India’s outreach to enhance its global position and secure its strategic interest over the years has been strategically and tactically aligned to further expand defence cooperation with like-minded nations, which was evident from visit to France.

With the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1947 to the upgradation to a strategic partnership in 1998, India and France have come a long way in improving their bilateral relationship. It allows them to act together and build a high level of mutual trust. Both partners aim at understanding and are strongly committed to preserving the global order. India’s PM Modi’s visit to France coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Indo-French partnership, it also resulted in the announcement of the ‘Horizon-2047’. As the year 2047 marks 100 years of diplomatic partnership and fifty years of strategic partnership, the Horizon document lays down a long roadmap for both countries to improve Indo-French strategic and defence relationship. The document will bring both nations closer and enhance their bilateral relationship mainly strategic and defence partnership. The visit was part of the process to advance their understanding and cooperation to secure their shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The agreements and statements made during PM Modi’s visit aim to strengthen the Indo-French relationship through defence and technology cooperation to a great height propelling the Horizon-2047 vision and acting as a guiding light to achieve it in the coming times.

Key agreements signed during PM Modi’s visit to France

India’s outreach to enhance its global position and secure its strategic interest over the years has strategically and tactically aligned to further expand defence cooperation with like-minded nations, which was reflected in PM Modi’s visit to the US and France. French President Emmanuel Macron argues, ‘India as a strategic partner and a friend of France, who is a giant in the history of the world and will have a determining role in our future’. PM Modi’s visit is a reflection of the strong and vibrant ties India and France have enjoyed over the decades, and the visit is the fruition of a strong Indo-French bilateral relationship, which will become stronger in the 21^st century.

Extending Cooperation

Considering India’s relationship with the West in the past, the Indo-French ties run deep and were reflected when France didn’t bandwagon with the West to impose sanctions against India when India conducted a nuclear test in 1998. India’s reliance on Russia for military arsenal and hardware is well-known. On the other hand, France has continued to supply fighter jets to India since the 1950s. This relationship has come a long way from Dassault Ouragan (Toofani) in 1953 to Dassault’s Rafael in 2016. India is looking to enhance its defence production capacity and capabilities and secure its defence requirements and security concerns, and this view was reflected in PM Modi’s visit to the US and to France. Russia’s inability to perform maintenance work is impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and India’s indigenous fighter jet engine – a work in progress has made India worried. Thus, a joint production of jet engines with like-minded countries with a 100% transfer of technology has become a top priority for India and the same was reflected in PM Modi’s visit to France as it attempts to address such concerns. With India and France’s interests aligned in the Indo-Pacific region, India is viewed as a crucial strategic partner allowing France to consolidate its alliance network in the region after being snubbed during the AUKUS formation. The visit was a win-win scenario, as it upped India’s global position and expanded France’s defence cooperation with its key reliable strategic friend and partner India in the Indo-Pacific region.

Relevance of the Visit and Key Developments

PM Modi’s visit to France concluded with various agreements which include the signing of a defence deal worth US$13.3 billion. Considering, the Indo-US Defence deal, both defence agreements will address India’s concerns of how to deal with China and the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). With the agreement of 36 Rafale with the Indian Air Force and 5 Scorpene class submarines with the Indian Navy and a sixth submarine undergoing trials, the further purchase of 26 Rafale M-88 and three Scorpene-class submarines will enhance and boost India’s naval power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). As India’s first Integrated Theatre Command (ITC) for the armed forces is expected to be implemented by August 2023, such deals, agreements and procurement will allow forces to address issues like the two-front war situation well. The Indian Navy will head the maritime theatre command, while the Army and Air Force will head the rest of the two commands on a rotation basis. This development will allow the defence forces to jointly maintain the common weapon platforms like Rafael, Apache, and Predators, thereby enhancing the armed forces’ lethal capabilities to deter an aggressor. Unlike the US and China, India’s ITC is based on the ‘One Border One Force’ concept, which is expected to enhance and transform the Indian armed forces’ capacities to be efficient, focused and effective in utilising its resources.

Among other developments, the visit culminates in the decision to purchase 26 Rafale M-88 and three Scorpene-class submarines for the Indian Navy. France’s SAFRAN and India’s DRDO will jointly produce engines for Rafale M-88. Also, SAFRAN and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited shall collaborate for producing Indian Multi-role Helicopter (IMRH). Further, the visit resulted in France proposing a 100% transfer of technology to co-produce a 110 KN high-thrust fighter jet engine which will be manufactured by DRDO and SAFRAN, powering the AMCA Mk-2 fifth-generation stealth jet. The procurement of Rafael-M and its relevance can be seen from the statement by the Navy Captain (Indian Navy) mentioned below:

“The procurement of Rafael-M for the Indian Navy with India operating two aircraft carriers will provide India with a strategic advantage in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Naval fighter jets are specifically built to withstand the unique challenges of aircraft carrier-based operations, which include high-impact landings, catapult or ramp launches, and corrosive saltwater environments. Rafael-M has proved its capabilities which were showcased in a ‘successful trial campaign held in India’ highlighting that the procurement will meet India’s strategic requirement in the Indian Ocean. Further, fulfilling the Indian Navy’s operational requirements perfectly suited to the specificities of its aircraft carrier, Rafael-M will allow the Navy to thwart any misadventure in the IOR.“

The Indo-French defence deal will enhance maritime theatre command strength, which will come in handy considering the developments in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Indo-Pacific region. Under the theatre command, it gives a command to utilise all military resources of all three services to address the security concern in a particular geographical theatre. In this context, PM Modi’s visit, first to the US and then to France intends to improve, enhance and diversify the Indian armed forces’ capabilities and military resources available to thwart adversaries, thereby protecting the national interest. The visit is viewed as a milestone in Indo-French Defence Cooperation and Partnership, and the statement below highlights the significance and need of the Indo-French defence relationship.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to France included his participation in the annual Bastille Day Parade, where he was the guest of honour. One of the key areas of the visit was a discussion on defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India and looking for prospects for future collaborations and potential co-production opportunities.”

Major General Jagatbir Singh (Retd), Indian Army

 Such aspects were reflected in the revised Joint Statement; however, it emphasised only those deals that will be implemented and omitted those that are in progress. It omitted the reference to a roadmap on the joint development of a combat aircraft engine and the construction of three additional Scorpene submarines. Both countries failed to complete the negotiation and tune their fine details before the visit ended. Although, India’s Defence Acquisition Council has approved the proposals, former Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa argues, the deal would take time to fine-tune its details, and once signed, will boost the Indo-French defence cooperation enhancing India’s naval power in the IOR. India and France have announced a roadmap for joint actions in the Indo-Pacific region, where both countries are resident powers with vital stakes. Both countries are committed to working together in the interest of global peace and stability and reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. The statement emphasises trilateral cooperation with like-minded countries as a key pillar of such cooperation in the region and thus sets up the Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation Fund which will finance sustainable development projects by other nations in the region.

Today, Outer Space has emerged to be a new frontier of power politics, evident from the race to expand power and dominance in space amongst great power. It resulted in major air powers shifting to become aerospace forces which is also reflected in India’s IAF 2022 Doctrine. PM Modi’s visit has allowed India and France’s space agencies CNES and ISRO, respectively, to enhance their cooperation concerning the reusable launchers, to finalise joint Earth observation satellite and complete the first phase of Trishna, a constellation of maritime surveillance satellites in the IOR. Considering all the developments, PM Modi’s visit was a special one that gave a boost and defined a new era in the already strong Indo-French bilateral relationship to seek and address to secure their shared interests and global challenges.

Considering recent geopolitical developments and great power competition between the US and China, this development provides many opportunities and challenges, India and France, have undertaken consistent efforts towards broadening their strategic partnership to jointly address their issues. PM Modi’s visit is a step to deliver on key concrete issues assisting India and France to enhance their bilateral defence cooperation and relationship. The regular exchange of visits at the level of Service Chiefs and the defence exercises will deepen their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and in the defence, security, and technological domains. Defence cooperation driving Indo-French strategic partnership has propelled them to have a convergence of views and has directed them towards a close and strong bilateral relationship which is reflected in various regional and multilateral forums.

PM Modi’s visit to France highlights such aspects which didn’t stop both countries from enhancing their strategic and defence cooperation and partnership. It reflects the depth of the Indo-French bilateral relationship and showcases India’s tactical strategy to secure its national interest. With defence cooperation as a critical pillar in the Indo-French bilateral relationship, PM Modi during the visit stated that both sides should work on the co-production of military platforms to meet their own needs and those of friendly third countries.

Relevance of Indo-French Defence Cooperation

India and France share a longstanding culture, trade, economic linkages and defence ties. The Indo-French strategic partnership over the years gained significant momentum which has evolved into a more closer and multifaceted relationship. Horizon-2047 Roadmap directs the future of Indo-French strategic partnership by charting out the next phase of the relationship. The roadmap is primarily based on three critical pillars for a collaboration concerning security and sovereignty, for the planet and for people. It will give a boost to co-production and co-development in new emerging technologies, the manufacturing sector and defence cooperation. Given India’s deep defence engagement with the French industry, the spin-off effects of PM Modi’s visit will only expand India’s defence manufacturing capabilities and technologies.

In this regard, PM Modi’s visit to France following his visit to the US is a reflection of such aim, interest and priority. Enhancement of defence cooperation has become a priority for India, and the below statement is a reflection.

“As the last bullet in the Russia-Ukraine conflict yet to be fired, nations worldwide continue to take lessons from the conflict like to secure supply chain, and the role and relevance of air power and national security has only increased. As Indian Air Force 2022 doctrine has aimed to become an aerospace power and to shift its focus from a continental air force to one with a global reach which requires IAF to enhance its operational capabilities, responsiveness, versatility, capacities and offensive lethality. Increasing the fighter squadron to 42 and a diverse arsenal to perform different operations have become a necessity for India’s Air Power to be addressed in the coming times. With new addition of arsenal to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy will enhance IAF flying-range capacity and propel India’s Naval reach and position to dominate from the Strait of Malacca to the Gulf of Aden and Hormuz. Development of infrastructure in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and enrolment of advanced fighter jets and joint production of jet engines from like-minded nations like the US and now France will increase India’s power and reach to thwart any country’s misadventure directed against India in the Indian Ocean Region.

Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd), Indian Air Force

Future Ahead of Indo-French Defence Cooperation

The Indo-French Defence Cooperation is growing, which is evident from the success achieved following the creation of the Annual Defence Dialogue at the Ministerial level in 2018. It only increased the military-to-military cooperation, which is visible in the Garuda exercise between both air forces, the Shakti exercise between both armed forces, and the Varuna exercise between both naval forces. As the forum discusses defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’ as its key area, the transfer of jet engine technology by SAFRAN will pave the way for more such collaborations and co-production opportunities in the near future. As there is a need to have a deep understanding and convergence on key areas and issues, the forum will enhance the Indo-French Defence Cooperation to work together and cooperate at bilateral, regional and multilateral fora with the prime focus on the Indo-Pacific region.

Considering the timing of PM Modi’s visit to the US and France, the focus should be on how it benefits India and secures its interest, as China’s actions in the Indian Sub-Continent, LAC, and the IOR have alarmed India, and pushed the Indian government to have a different orientation of its foreign policy. The below statement is a reflection of how India is moving forward to enhance its armed force capabilities and address the Dragon challenge.

“India always had defence cooperation with France. Even the Dassault Mirages were inducted into the air force as early as 1985. The cooperation is nothing new. Scorpene submarines also have their origin in France. For strategic autonomy, India cannot be dependent on one nation for its defence procurements. Hence, we should see the two events – PM Modi’s visit to the US and France – are not linked to each other; it is the relentless pursuit of our national interest. The US knows that it has not been India’s reliable partner. It is wooing India now due to her own interest in posing a second front to China. We should take the unique strategic advantage that India has now and need to cooperate with all in order to challenge China.”

Lt. General PG Kamath (Retd), Indian Army

Conclusion

The visit holds immense significance as it paves the way for enhanced collaboration between India and France in the realm of defence as both nations aim to bolster their defence capabilities and contribute to global security. PM Modi’s visit aimed to foster a stronger relationship between the two countries and explore the opportunities in the defence sector. India and France have pledged to enhance collaborative efforts in defence research and development. By pooling their intellectual and technological resources, both countries aim to spur innovation, develop cutting-edge defence technologies, and further address their common security challenges. This collaborative approach ensures that the Indo-French defence cooperation shall remain dynamic and future-oriented. The transfer of knowledge not only enhances defence capabilities but also fosters economic growth and job creation. PM Modi’s visit opened new avenues for the economic and industrial partnership, including in the defence sector, this visit is expected to expand economic ties, boost trade, and attract investments propelling economic growth in both nations. The visit has set the stage for a promising future in Indo-French defence cooperation which will contribute to global peace and security while securing their shared interest.

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