Countries considered India’s closest include the Russian Federation, Israel, Afghanistan, France, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the United States. Russia is the largest supplier of military equipment to India, followed by Israel and France.
India and France have traditionally close and friendly relations. In 1998, the two countries entered into a Strategic Partnership which is emblematic of their convergence of views on a range of international issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship. France established diplomatic relations with the newly independent India in 1947. An agreement between France and India in 1948 stipulated that the inhabitants of France’s Indian possessions would choose their political future. A treaty of cession was signed by the two countries in May 1956.
Indian Prime Minister Modi stated that “We consider France one of our most reliable defence allies.” Indian and French Navies will be able to use each other’s naval bases, under an agreement signed in 2018. Indian warships will be able to use French bases in the Indian and southern Pacific oceans.
India and France have strengthened their bilateral relationship with convergence in the UN Security Council and building the Indian Air Force’s capacity through the purchase of medium transport aircraft and multi-role transport tankers.
India and France will cement their defence cooperation in April when the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike force will conduct exercises with INS Vikramaditya in two phases in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, according to people familiar with the matter.
The dates of the exercises are being scheduled between the two navies, the people added.
The nuclear-powered French carrier force, comprising two frigates and one support ship, has for several months been on a mission “Clemenceau 21”, which deals with fighting terrorism in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea/ Persian Gulf.
According to Indian Navy officers aware of the developments, the Western Fleet with its newly appointed commander Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar will conduct advanced exercises with the French carrier task force. While Charles de Gaulle is a 42,500-tonne aircraft carrier with Rafale M fighters on board, INS Vikramaditya is a conventionally powered aircraft carrier with a displacement of 44,500 tonnes and has MiG-29K aircraft on board.
April will also see renewed engagement with France with foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visiting India to deliver a lecture at a think-tank and engage in political dialogue. Both India and France have convergence over freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, with Paris appointing a special envoy for the region.
To add to this will be the arrival of seven Rafale jets from France between April 19 and 23, after which the first squadron of the French omni-role fighter will be completed at the Ambala airbase. The remaining 18 fighters will be deployed at Hashimara in the eastern sector to cover the strategic Siliguri corridor.
India and France have strengthened their bilateral relationship with convergence in the UN Security Council and building the Indian Air Force’s capacity through the purchase of medium transport aircraft and multi-role transport tankers.
The two countries have also joined hands in the development of air-independent propulsion for conventional submarines for future Indian submersible ships.
Source Hindustan Times, Wikipedia
