2. India-France Relations: Special Global Strategic Partnership

The bilateral relationship between India and France has been elevated to a \'Special Global Strategic Partnership\' following the high-level meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron. Positioned as a \'force for stability\' in an era of global uncertainty, the partnership now spans across traditional defense cooperation to new-age sectors like critical minerals and green energy. • Elevated Partnership Status: The transition to a ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership’ signifies a deeper level of trust and alignment on global governance, moving beyond buyer-seller dynamics to codevelopment. • Reciprocal Logistics in Defense: A landmark agreement on the reciprocal deployment of armed forces was reached, enhancing interoperability and allowing both nations to utilize each other\'s military facilities for logistics. • Institutionalized Oversight: To ensure the steady progress of the \'Horizon 2047 Roadmap,\' an annual Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue has been established to provide a structured review mechanism. • Economic and Fiscal Reforms: Both nations amended the protocol on the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to facilitate smoother cross-border investments and reduce tax-related hurdles for businesses. • Diverse Sectoral Cooperation: The talks yielded comprehensive agreements in health, critical minerals (essential for the green transition), renewable energy, and science and technology, reflecting a multidimensional approach. • Anti-Hegemonic World Order: Both leaders emphasized a shared commitment to a multipolar world based on the rule of law, explicitly stating their intent to create a path free from the dominance of any single power (hegemony). Key Definitions • Special Global Strategic Partnership: A high-level diplomatic classification indicating that two nations share a long-term, multi-sectoral vision with a high degree of mutual trust on global security and economic issues.• Horizon 2047 Roadmap: A comprehensive bilateral document charting the course of India-France relations over the next 25 years, marking the centenary of India\'s independence and 50 years of the strategic partnership. • Reciprocal Deployment: An arrangement where the military forces of one country can be stationed or utilize the infrastructure of the other for joint exercises, refueling, or logistical support. • Hegemony: The political, economic, or military predominance or control of one state over others. Constitutional & Legal Framework • Article 51: Part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) in the Indian Constitution, it mandates the State to promote international peace, security, and maintain just and honorable relations between nations. • Article 73: Extends the executive power of the Union to matters with respect to which Parliament has the power to make laws, including the power to enter into treaties and agreements with foreign countries. • Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA): A tax treaty signed between two countries to help taxpayers avoid paying double taxes on the same income earned in both countries. Additional Strategic Dimensions • Indo-Pacific Synergy: France, as a resident power in the Indian Ocean (due to territories like Réunion Island), is India\'s most reliable partner in ensuring a \'Free, Open, and Inclusive Indo-Pacific.\' • Strategic Autonomy: Both India and France value \'Strategic Autonomy,\' preferring to make independent foreign policy choices rather than being restricted by rigid bloc-based alliances. • Nuclear and Space Collaboration: France was one of the few Western nations not to impose sanctions on India after the 1998 nuclear tests and remains a key partner in the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project and ISRO-CNES space missions. • Defense Indigenization: Moving toward \'Atmanirbhar Bharat,\' the partnership is shifting from off-theshelf purchases (like Rafale) to joint production and technology transfer in jet engines and submarines. Conclusion The India-France relationship has evolved into one of the most resilient and reliable strategic equations in modern diplomacy. By addressing 21st-century challenges—ranging from supply chain resilience in critical minerals to maritime security in the Indo-Pacific—the \'Special Global Strategic Partnership\' serves as a stabilizing anchor in a fragmented global order. The commitment to a non-hegemonic world ensures that both nations remain masters of their own destiny while collaborating for global good. UPSC Relevance • General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. • General Studies III: Internal Security; Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. • Current Affairs: Strategic partnerships, defense acquisitions, and international treaties.