Why in the news?

On July 14, 2023, in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated the ‘Partnership for the Planet’ to one of the three central pillars of the Indo-French Horizon 2047 Roadmap.

India- France Bilateral Ties   

• Strategic Partnership: India and France established a strategic partnership in 1998, which covers cooperation in defense, civil nuclear energy, space, and security. This partnership is considered a cornerstone of their bilateral ties.
• High-Level Exchanges: There have been frequent high-level exchanges between the leaders of both countries, including state visits and participation in each other’s national events like the Republic Day parade. This demonstrates the close political ties.
• Defense Cooperation: Defense is a major pillar of the India-France partnership. The two countries conduct joint military exercises, collaborate on defense equipment manufacturing, and have an “intelligence and information exchange” mechanism.
• Space Cooperation: India and France have robust space cooperation, including co-development and launch of satellites, research on new launch technologies, and connecting startups. They recently launched a Strategic Space Dialogue to guide their space partnership.
• Convergence on Indo-Pacific: Both countries share concerns over China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. They have agreed to intensify cooperation in the strategically important Southwest Indian Ocean and work with other like-minded countries to address regional security challenges.

How France is India’s steadfast partner to achieve its sustainability goals?

• Financial Support: France, through the French Development Agency (AFD) and Proparco, has committed substantial financial resources to India. This includes over €4 billion since 2008 for nearly 100 projects, with a significant focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Strategic Focus Areas: Cooperation spans key sectors like energy transition, sustainable urban development, biodiversity conservation, resilience of territories, and reduction of inequalities. These efforts contribute directly to India’s sustainable development agenda.
• Project Implementation: AFD’s involvement in projects such as metro systems in Pune and Nagpur, forest conservation in Rajasthan, and urban water management across 20 cities demonstrates tangible contributions to India’s environmental and social sustainability.
• Partnership in Innovation: Collaborative initiatives underpinning innovation, including the Indo-French Year of Innovation in 2026, aimed at fostering solutions that integrate social inclusion with environmental sustainability.
• Indo-Pacific Engagement: Strengthening bilateral ties with an Indo-Pacific dimension, focusing on initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership and joint funds for scaling up green technologies, showcasing France’s commitment to regional sustainability efforts.

Private sector-led projects

• Investment in Agriculture: Proparco’s €11.2 million investment in Sahyadri, supports farmer-led initiatives to reduce farm losses, pesticide and fertilizer use, and enhance yields and produce quality.
• Healthcare Investments: Proparco’s €33 million equity investment in Quadria, aimed at improving access to affordable quality healthcare in underserved regions of India and Southeast Asia.
• Innovation and Sustainability: Emphasis on innovative solutions blending social inclusion with sustainability, such as through the Indo-French Year of Innovation in 2026 and joint efforts to scale up green technologies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Way forward: 

• Strengthen bilateral agreements to facilitate smoother cooperation and ensure compliance with international sustainability standards.
• Foster deeper public-private partnerships to leverage expertise, funding, and innovation for sustainable development projects.
• Promote continuous high-level dialogues and joint initiatives to address global challenges, enhance regional security, and drive economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Mains PYQ:

Q What were the events that led to the Suez Crisis in 1956? How did it deal a final blow to Britain’s self-image as a world power? (UPSC IAS/2014)

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