To commemorate the 25th anniversary of their partnership and anticivpate significant milestones ahead, India and France have jointly decided to develop a roadmap that will guide their bilateral relationship until 2047 through Horizon 2047. In a world dominated by great powers and Cold War-style bloc competition, India under Prime Minister Modi and France under President Macron have built strong connections with significant countries without becoming unduly dependent on any one state. Both nations adopted collective defense and security frameworks more than 70 years ago, but their approaches differ. In Gaullist fashion, France has criticized NATO, whereas India opposes military alliances. Despite the obvious strategic similarities between France and India, several restrictions and subtleties exist. First, in contrast to the ideological revivalism seen in Modi’s India with the concept of Hindutva, President Macron emphasizes French history and the development of French soft power. Second, while a military power capable of deploying force against aggressive neighbors like China and Pakistan, India has shown prudence in its foreign operations.
On the other hand, France has sent troops on various missions and operations through the European Union, NATO, and ad hoc alliances. President Macron is not anticipated to raise the subject of human rights during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France. Critics claim that the French government believes realpolitik, which places practical concerns over moral ones, should rule foreign policy. Some people are not surprised by this lack of focus on human rights because India is considered strategically significant globally. Human rights issues have been marginalized, and France is aware of this. The French government is perceived as supporting Modi’s authoritarian style by failing to ask pertinent questions or hold him accountable. The following negative message is that France is endorsing Modi’s behavior and disdain for human rights. Specifically in response to China’s expanding influence in the Indian Ocean region, the 25-year-old strategic alliance between France and India. Countries like Sri Lanka are realizing that their sovereignty has been undermined due to taking out significant loans from Chinese lenders for important projects.
“Big contracts” in the energy, aerospace, and defense sector have shaped the relationship between France and India. France supplies enriched uranium to India for its nuclear power facilities. In 1974, the US, India’s former supplier, sanctioned India for nuclear tests. After this, India bought the French Mirage 2000 aircraft to diversify its military sources. President François Mitterrand signed this treaty in 1982 in New Delhi. Since then, large contracts have shaped Franco-Indian relations. India bought six French Scorpène-class submarines in 2005. They ordered 36 Rafale and many Airbus aircraft in 2015. IndiGo ordered 500 Airbus A320s in June. Big contracts have strategic, economic, and political significance. Public authorities drive bilateral relations, they say. Geopolitics, notably China, shape these contracts. France and the US prioritized India as a partner because of this perspective. Both countries appreciate that India’s limits relative to China make confrontation impossible. They prefer to work with India to counter China in the Indian Ocean.
This expansionism worries France and India, with India feeling ringed by China’s presence in nearby nations like Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. India has emerged as a crucial ally in France’s Indo-Pacific strategy due to their shared interests in the region. France has held trilateral discussions with Australia and the United Arab Emirates because it regards India as essential in containing China’s influence. In contrast, India has backed France’s participation in international organizations with a regional concentration on the Indian Ocean, such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), which France joined in 2020. In reaction to China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean, the French government prefers India as its partner. Ashley Tellis noted that this attitude coincides with the US’s India policy. Tellis claims India is a critical US ally because it lacks the means and will to face China aggressively. Several factors support this view. First, China, India’s major trading partner, has a stronger economy. China dominates India’s trade and economy. Second, satellite photographs show India’s passive response to China’s Himalayan territorial claims. India avoids starting wars that could hurt it. Finally, India and China work under the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) framework to confront Western powers in the UN. Both nations reject Western liberalism.
The India-France alliance has pros and cons for the bilateral relationship. Both countries have maintained solid relationships with major nations without becoming unduly dependent on any one power. This methodological difference raises questions regarding their strategic interests and potential conflicts. India-France relations are complicated, with considerable hurdles and complexities to overcome. There has to be a balance between strategic ties and moral values. European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in India, specifically addressing the recent clashes in Manipur.
Akash Bag is Research Scholar, School of Law, Amity University, Chhattisgarh)
Anwesha Ghosh is (Research Scholar, Department of Law, School of Legal Studies, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India)
Sachin Singh Parihar is Research Scholar, Department of Law, School of Legal Studies, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda.