Together, the two countries can be an effective balancing power in the Indo-Pacific

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook another high level to India’s west, less than a month after his state visit to the US. The visit to France last week is a reminder of the changing geopolitics, aligned with 21st-century realities. If several rounds of vegetarian meals hosted by America’s top leadership, the second chance to address a joint session of the US Congress were a teaser, France upped the game by bestowing the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest civilian and military honour on PM, not to forget the proud Indian tri-services marching on Champs- Elysees. It is a reminder to India steadily taking the rightful place in the global order, specifically, when it comes to the Indo-Pacific region, to an extent catalysed by the presence of China, whose aggressive manoeuvres in the Indian Ocean region and beyond are forcing new alliances and partnerships.

It is significant that even though India hasn’t clearly articulated its Indo-Pacific strategy, unlike France and US, there was a joint statement released during the PM’s Paris visit. The note mentioned “Our countries believe in a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo Pacific region. Our cooperation seeks to secure our own economic and security interests; ensure equal and free access to global commons; build partnerships of prosperity 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. “

A mention regarding PM Modi's envisioned SAGAR ((Security and Growth for All in the Region) and President Macron’s vision of the security and cooperation being aligned, was made, to highlight the key glue for the 25-year-old India-France relationship. France has always partnered with India on the premise of strategic autonomy. This goes well for India, as it doesn’t impose conditions for bilateral cooperation. It takes away the uncomfortable “Us vs Them “, narrative, providing the breathing space for a healthy friendship to take life. That the India-France relationship has stood the test of time, such as France not imposing sanctions on India in the aftermath of nuclear tests, or not criticising India for its non-committal stance on Ukraine, is well documented.

The current roadmap extends the partnership to bring a larger bunch of partner countries located in the vast Indo-Pacific region under a common umbrella. The joint statement read “We will continue to work together to extend development cooperation to countries in the region, including in Africa, the Indian Ocean Region, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. We will strengthen our plurilateral arrangements with Australia and UAE and build new ones in the region. We will strengthen our cooperation in regional forums such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, the Indian Ocean Commission, the Djibouti Code of Conduct, the ADMM+ and ARF.”

India and France are already working on a trilateral platform with Australia and UAE, and plan to expand the net on most critical areas of maritime cooperation, security, climate change etc to a wider bunch of nations impacted in the region. These nations while not as large, economically or area-wise, as compared to India hold strategic spots in the extended Indo-Pacific expanse, which India loosely defines as ranging from US east coast to the African west coast. This region also controls/hosts some of the most heavy traffic sea routes, through which billions of dollars’ worth of goods are traded across the world China is increasingly getting aggressive in the Indian Ocean region, slowly building strategic military bases by coercion (most often) in some of these smaller island nations threatening territorial sovereignty of many countries. A joint collaborative approach between India and France, taken together with a vision for the next 25 years augurs well to act as an effective balancing power.

(The writer is a policy analyst)