India-France Partnership in High-End Technology Sectors

India and France have signed a deal to make their technology partnerships stronger in four leading industries: artificial intelligence, defense systems, space programs, and cyber security. The two nations looked at how well they were following the 2023 India-France Horizon 2047 Roadmap, which aims to boost trade, investments, and military cooperation between them. Prime Minister Modi’s Paris trip later this year coincides with an AI convention, showing how serious he and his French counterparts are about AI progress. The leaders of India and France talked together about worldwide problems such as the Ukraine conflict, West Asian politics, environmental change, and healthcare, and also decided to join efforts in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite deals already in place for Rafale jets and Jaitapur Nuclear Power, France and India keep working together, but the Jaitapur project is facing delays from rising costs and legal matters. As a teamwork, each state is evaluating potential partnerships involving small nuclear power plants and shared research projects with other countries.

Context:

• Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation: India and France will work together on improving their technology partnerships in fields like artificial intelligence, defense, space research, and digital security.

• Horizon 2047 Roadmap: The two nations checked progress on the direction-setting Horizon 2047 Roadmap they created last July to enhance their partnerships in business, investments, and defense.

• Prime Minister Modi's Visit: Prime Minister Modi will be in Paris next February at an AI summit as part of India's ongoing efforts to build stronger relationships with France.

• Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project: India and EDF have problems talking through their issues with the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra because of the costs, slow work, and how India handles claims from people who get hurt.

• Future of Nuclear Cooperation: Both countries are working together on developing Small Modular Reactors while they try to move past problems so they can keep going with the Jaitapur project.

India-France relations

India and France have indeed blossomed into a qualitatively complex strategic relationship, especially in defense, space, economic, digital, and multilateral spheres.

• Defense Cooperation: France is the second largest arms supplier to India which includes a few major projects such as Rafale aircraft and the P-75 Scorpene Submarine project. 

  • To meet Indian defense needs and to create export potential both of the nations have started a program called ‘defense industrial roadmap’ aiming at co-design, co-development, and co-production. 

  • Their intensified military cooperation is evidenced by the bilateral exercises: VARUNA and FRINJEX-23.

• Geo-Strategic: Reacting to the shifting dynamics in the region in 2023, Paris and New Delhi have begun to build the Indo-Pacific Roadmap for India-France cooperation in ensuring the stability of the area, which has broadened the topic of bilateral cooperation from the Indian Ocean space to the larger Indo-Pacific region.

• Space Cooperation: France remains the partner of India in space affairs providing parts and discussing future projects including the TRISHNA Earth Observation mission and LV tech.

• Economic Cooperation: France is among the top ten sources of FDI for India in the fiscal year 2022, with an FDI of $659.77 million. 

  • Tata Group and Airbus signed an understanding to produce Indian-built civilian helicopters as well as Akasa Air acquiring more than 300 LEAP-1B engines from CFM International.

• Digital Cooperation: India and France have taken UPI to the global level by launching the Unified Payments Interface from the Eiffel Tower and announced cooperation between PayTM and Orange for safe transactions for Indian tourists and Non-Resident Indians. 

  • Also, France has designed supercomputers for India which includes Param Siddhi, the fastest supercomputer in India.

• Multilateral Cooperation: France has backed India’s aspiration for a permanent membership of the UNSC and supported India on issues including Kashmir and terrorism and on nonproliferation endeavors. 

  • France assisted in the inclusion of India in MTCR in the year 2008, WA in the year 2011 and AG in the year 2016.

Conclusion

India and France plan to expand their technological connections between their countries, as their partnership develops. Working together on defense, nuclear programs, and worldwide problems helps keep India and France as each other's most important military partners. Their collaboration on new technologies and world matters continues to grow, even though the Jaitapur project faces issues.