Bilateral/International Relations

KEY POINTS

Indo-French Naval ties

·         Maritime security is on the top of the agenda between Indo-France bilateral relations.

·         France has frequently highlighted the need for a deeper nautical partnership with India which stressed on strategic cooperation in defence and on the need for stronger security measures in the IOR.

Benefits for India

·         France is the only European power with a strong military presence in both the Indian Ocean (Réunion and Mayotte) and the Pacific (French Polynesia and New Caledonia).

·         Signing a nautical pact with France is a potential expansion of the Indian Navy’s operational footprint across the Indo-Pacific region.

·         Its utility as a catalyst for India’s cross-theatre maritime outreach is immense.

·         It will grant Indian vessels the right to routinely use France’s Indian Ocean military bases. French facilities are likely to add to India’s network of nautical outposts in the IOR.

·         France’s proficiency with military manufacturing and defence trade buttresses the logic of a strategic partnership.

·         Closer ties with France would send a strong message to India’s geopolitical antagonists in maritime Asia.

·         India will be hoping for a closer engagement in the Western Indian Ocean, where France has one of the most forward-deployed armed forces in the world.

·         Paris’ robust posture in the Pacific represents a similar strategic opportunity for New Delhi.

·         A partnership with the French navy in littoral South-East Asia would allow the Indian Navy to influence the security-dynamic of the Pacific, even extending operations to the Southern Pacific Islands.

Way Ahead

·         The only reason New Delhi will be a wee bit cautious is because the bilateral relationship has hitherto relied heavily on defence trade.

·         Much of the optics surrounding Paris’ Indian Ocean outreach appears intended at securing new contracts for French defence firms.

·         Indian policymakers would then need to carefully evaluate the real strategic benefits of closer naval ties with Paris.

·         Ultimately, however, the true test of Indo-French maritime ties will lie in each side’s ability to meet the other’s expectations.