India-France Defence Industrial Roadmap and Comprehensive Dialogue on Global Issues

India and France have formulated a defence industrial roadmap to boost collaboration in defence production and design of military platforms. This comes amid progress on other strategic agreements during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.

Joint Development and Production Plans

• The roadmap outlines cooperation on co-designing, co-developing and co-producing defence equipment to meet requirements of both countries.
• It covers areas like aircraft, land and naval systems, underwater technologies, space, AI, robotics and cyber security. The plan mirrors India’s efforts with the US.

Big Ticket Defence Deals in Pipeline

• India and France are negotiating major deals for fighter aircraft, submarine and naval jet engines worth billions of dollars. These include the procurement of Rafale jets and Scorpene submarines.
• The deals are currently in the advanced cost negotiation stage and expected to conclude by end of 2023 as per reports.

Partnership in Space Domain

• Besides the defence roadmap, India and France also inked a new agreement to collaborate in the space domain related to space situational awareness.
• An MoU was also signed for cooperation on satellite launches, demonstrating the strategic depth of the bilateral relationship.

Comprehensive Dialogue on Global Issues

Aside from the defence industrial roadmap, India and France have established a high-level Comprehensive Dialogue on Global Issues for regular consultations on political matters and global challenges. The key areas of focus reflect both countries’ commitment to address climate change, environmental degradation and sustainable development.

Tackling Plastic Pollution

• India and France aim to build consensus this year for a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution in a significant step.
• The leaders reaffirmed their determination during President Macron’s recent India visit to take measures domestically while pushing multilaterally.

Cooperation on Climate and Biodiversity

• India and France will boost coordination across major conferences dealing with climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation.
• This joint approach demonstrates an understanding of the interlinkages between the environmental crises facing the planet.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2024

Category: International / World Current Affairs