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Revised statement from PM Modi, Macron drops key points on defence deals
India, France adopt Indo-Pacific roadmap; to set up development fund for third countries in the region
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifts a Sandalwood Sitar to France President Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Friday.| Photo Credit: ANI
India and France have revised the joint statement initially released after bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, with the new version released on Friday omitting key details on defence deals that are in the works. These omissions included references to a roadmap on the joint development of a combat aircraft engine, and the construction of three additional Scorpene submarines.
They also announced a roadmap for joint actions in the Indo-Pacific region, where both nations are resident powers with vital stakes, and said they are finalising an Indo-French development fund to jointly finance sustainable development projects by other nations in the region.
The joint statement — ‘Horizon 2047: 25th Anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, Towards A Century of India-France Relations’ — lays out a roadmap for the bilateral relationship till 2047.
Key omissions
In its initial version, it had announced that India and France would continue the “ground-breaking” defence cooperation in “advanced aeronautical technologies” by supporting the “joint development of a combat aircraft engine”, stating that a roadmap on this project would be prepared by the Defence Research Development Organisation and French engine manufacturer Safran “before the end of the year”. However, the line on the roadmap has been dropped in the revised statement.The joint statement also welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding between Mazagon Dock Limited and Naval Group for the construction of three additional submarines under the P75 programme. However, the revised statement omitted the reference to additional Scorpene submarines, and instead said, “India and France hail the success of the first Scorpene submarine construction programme (P75 – Kalvari), a model of Make in India and the sharing of naval expertise between companies in the two countries. India and France are ready to explore more ambitious projects to develop the Indian submarine fleet and its performance.”
Indo-Pacific roadmap
Committing to work together in the interest of international peace and stability and reaffirming their commitment to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, India and France said that they had decided to give “utmost attention and extend their cooperation to the Pacific”, with the close involvement of the French territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia.“The French overseas territories in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, will play an important role in the Indo-Pacific partnership between the two countries,” the statement said. France is the only country with which India has undertaken joint patrols.
“Our cooperation seeks to secure our own economic and security interests; ensure equal and free access to global commons; build partnerships of prosperity and sustainability in the region; advance the rule of international law; and, working with others in the region and beyond, build a balanced and stable order in the region, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Indo-Pacific roadmap said.
Trilateral cooperation
Trilateral cooperation with “like-minded partners” in the region will be a key pillar of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the joint statement said, making particular mention of the dialogue with the United Arab Emirates, in February 2023 at the ministerial level, as well as with Australia, launched in September 2020.India and France will work on setting up the Indo-Pacific Triangular Cooperation (IPTDC) Fund, aimed at supporting innovations and start-ups on climate issues and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, from third countries in the region. Both countries will jointly identify the projects to be supported through the IPTDC Fund.
The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in the fight against climate change and for the protection of the environment in the Indo-Pacific, and will offer sustainable development solutions to the countries of the region through multilateral and third country initiatives.
Space collaboration
The space domain is another important area of cooperation. In a statement on the deliverables during the visit, the French side said, “Scientific and commercial partnership is being enhanced through several agreements between France’s CNES and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), notably concerning reusable launchers; the finalization of the joint Earth observation satellite, TRISHNA; the first phase of the constellation of maritime surveillance satellites in the Indian Ocean; and the protection of Indo-French satellites in orbit against the risk of collision.”Mr. Modi also made a reference to this in his remarks during the joint press statement with Mr. Macron before the bilateral talks, speaking of space-based Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). The Quad, comprising India, Australia, Japan and the U.S., has also announced an Indo-Pacific MDA open to all like-minded countries.
so after fooling bakhts, Indian Gov withdraws all the chest thumping claims
