India France Defence Cooperation – Burning Issues

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Q) Which of these museaums in France has the world famous painting “Monalisa”?

On May 3, 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron made the term “Indo-Pacific” a concept of French foreign policy for the first time
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had publicly dismissed the concept as an “attention-grabbing idea” that “will dissipate like ocean foam.”
France was the first European country to launch an Indo-Pacific strategy. The French government is among a handful of governments that has appointed an ambassador for the Indo-Pacific region where Paris has assets, including territories.

French territories in the Indian Ocean

The Indian Navy conducted a joint patrol with with the French Navy last month from the Reunion Island. The patrol was conducted by a P-8I aircraft with French Navy personnel onboard.
India has so far carried out Coordinated Patrols (CORPAT) only with maritime neighbours.
Currently, under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and broader maritime cooperation, the Indian Navy undertakes joint EEZ surveillance with Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius and CORPATs with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.

France has steadily emerged as a major strategic partner for India with big ticket defence deals and increased military to military engagement.
The Indian navy is currently inducting French Scorpene conventional submarines, being built in India under technology transfer
Indian Air Force got the first and second batch of its 36 Rafale fighter jets

Scorpene submarine development for six latest-generation attack boats is expected to be completed by 2022.
Scorpene class submarines are designed by French naval shipbuilding firm DCNS
The new submarines are being built by Mazagon Dock in Mumbai, India, using the technology and training provided by DCNS.
The Indian Navy intends to use the submarines for missions such as area surveillance, intelligence gathering, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and minelaying operations.
INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela, INS Vagir, INS Vagsheer
The Indian Navy’s Project 75I
INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela, INS Vagir, INS Vagsheer

Six stealth submarines with air-independent propulsion technology that would have a longer submerged range than subs already being shipped to the Indian Navy.
The deal, expected to be finalized sometime in 2021, is valued $5.6 billion, according to Observer Research Foundation.

In a rare move, India came out in support of France’s President Emmanuel Macron, whom Pakistan and Turkey have targeted for strongly defending the French people’s right to freedom of expression.

France has been doing more defense business with India during the past five years. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
France was India’s 8^th largest arms supplier from 2010 to 2014, making $199 million worth of deals.
It moved up to No. 3 for the period 2010 to 2014, completing $1.6 billion in deals.
France supporting India’s bid for UNSC Permanent seat
France is one of the very few major power with which India has “no serious dispute” or difference.
At the height of the 1998 nuclear tests, when the entire Western world condemned India, France stood with India
France has a naval base in Djibouti