News Analytics Bureau
(This article has been featured by a National Journal.)
a 6 mins read.
Significant Cooperation
On 12 December 2023, the US confirmed President Joe Biden would not be traveling to New Delhi as invited chief guest for India’s 75th Republic Day events. An invite for the chief guest on India’s Republic Day is no small thing, it is reserved only for heads of state or heads of government of a country with which India holds solid friendly relations. Owing to the importance of it everything is bipartisan in nature and reflects the emotional connect of the country towards its national event.
The significance also leads to advanced and careful preparations for months ahead to ensure it rolls out with the expected fervour while all protocols are very strictly adhered to. The Chief Guest’s availability is double-checked through diplomatic communications, before extending the invite. It was these deliberate behind-the-scenes preparations that resulted in initial disbelief and some annoyance in New Delhi.
This development was also linked by some with ongoing difficulties with the US, post their flagging the safety concerns for a US citizen. These may be nothing more than wild speculation and completely dismissive in character. But is there a sudden change in the US-India relations that warranted President Joe Biden to recuse himself from the Delhi visit, even putting doubts over the proposed QUAD summit? Many believed it was only some charged and motivated front-page reports that appeared the cause behind it.
Once the US declined the invite, India’s foreign office raced to approach France, India’s long-term strategic partner, for information on the availability of the French President for the same. In no time France not only confirmed the availability but also ensured a swift announcement was made on President Macron’s travel plan to New Delhi. Although it just may be a diplomatic gesture, but France certainly came up to stand by its friend when it sensed India needed it.
Booming Relations
India and France not only share historically friendly relations but they have consistently graduated to a strategic and then as vital defence partners. French worldview has been in complete sync with India’s own aspirations. It supports a multilateral global order, connects with Global South, backs India’s place in the reformed UN Security Council, not hesitant to share high-end sensitive technologies. It also shares a deep understanding of India’s challenges as a developing nation, on climate issues and India’s dynamic neighbourhood security environment.
India has responded in equal measures letting French companies do joint manufacturing in it’s sensitive defense sector, taking steps to enhance trade and commerce directly benefiting French domestic industries, and coordinating views on global issues at multi-nation forums. These concerted initiatives have seen a qualitative jump in the Indo-French bilateral trade which is worth $20 billion and has now made France India’s 11th largest trading partner. To give it a further boost, the Indian PM visited France in July last year to commemorate 25 long years of strategic partnership. The Bastille Day Parade in France saw glorious participation by an Indian Tri-service contingent.
Arduous Journey
France has over the years transformed itself from being just one of the members of the EU into being a significant voice within it. It’s been an arduous journey for France which sensed mounting challenges as British participation in the EU started to precipitate leading to its exit from the union in 2020. While France wanted the larger arrangement of the EU to be sustained, at the same time, it was clear it must represent ‘French Vision’ on matters of global importance and not just remain muted as the EU has been seen doing for some time now.
It’s France’s consistency in holding onto its independent opinion that has created more openings and possibilities of solutions to some grave threats being faced by the world today. It was among the nations that were not very enthusiastic about the idea of Ukraine joining NATO or NATO’s outreach to Japan, it did not support extreme steps against Russia and the Western plan to push it out of G8, it kept communications with Beijing open as Mr. Macron travelled to China last April to ‘understand’ how it can contribute to peace in Ukraine. All this while when the EU and the US were blowing hot over China’s support to Russia.
France appears to choose its own foreign policy goals rather independently and that has at times created hostile costs for it. France has its own experience of its partners turning over for immediate and shortest benefits. In June 2022 Australia removed France from its $66 billion submarine deal bringing in the US and UK as a replacement for providing eight nuclear-powered submarines instead. France was dismayed not only by the change of tack by the Australians but also by the manner its replacement countries were announced. French let their ‘clear disappointment’ be known, a more sombre term for expressing anger with due diplomatic nicety. It was also criticised for not ‘doing enough’ to support Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
To the credit of France, it has maintained maturity while handling multiple and often conflicting viewpoints among its friends and partners. This indicates a vintage accommodative approach in diplomacy which is largely found missing in front of high-headed dealings nowadays. France and India have a long ‘to do’ list, but like a megastructure that needs a strong footing, bilateral relations need strong mutual trust. Indo-French relations can easily be qualified on these very special aspects. Both hold a compassionate recognition of the challenges the other one is faced with and both seem prepared to work that extra hard to become a reliable partner in the journey.
Indo-French partnership has a unique dimension in that it doesn’t conflict with their relationship with any third country. This enables an unbounded growth prospect be it trade and commerce, joint R&D in defense and production, transfer of niche technologies, nuclear cooperation, movement of skilled manpower, preferential access to Indian markets, doing away with double taxation et al. Each one of them has a massive scope to grow, with India inching towards a trillion-dollar economy by positioning itself as the world’s third-largest economy and biggest market, it’s a blue sky above for this booming relationship.
Geopolitics does cause untimely and unwarranted fissures in mutual relationships, It is nothing new to global affairs, but the larger picture must always be acknowledged. Friends and close partners having walked together difficult miles must remain sensitive to concerns and difficulties the other one has to endure. There are certain unique priorities for democracies, elected governments are trusted to ensure national integrity and bring prosperity to their people in a very transparent manner. The prioritisation of the agenda is thus very clear for democratic nations. They then rightfully expect their long-term friends and close partners to support them while both converge on the long-term perspective. Continuing dialogue for better understanding and accommodating difficult choices remains the hallmark of lasting relations. As with France, India will continue to explore greater possibilities with its friends while leaving its doors open for other partners like the US and Canada to demonstratively walk ‘a few steps’ for it!
