India-France Strategic Partnership (UPSC-RAS)

Why in news –

• Pm visit Itinerary:
  Nice (Jun 13-14, bilateral summit, Bharat Innovates startup event),
  Evian (Jun 16-17, G7 Summit),
  Paris (Jun 17-18, VivaTech Summit).

Historical Foundation of Ties-

1. 1976 - French PM agreed to be chief guest at India's Republic Day during India's Emergency, despite global criticism early sign of French pragmatism.
2. 1998 - Chirac returned as Republic Day chief guest (22 yrs later, now as President); launched the Strategic Partnership  India's first with a Western nation, France's first with a non-Western nation.
3. Same year (May 1998): Pokhran-II tests Western powers sanctioned India, but France did not  reinforcing trust.
4. 2003 - India first invited to G8 (post-Russia expulsion in  G7) by France; PM Vajpayee was attended.
5. 2019 - Modi's first G7 summit (Biarritz), hosted by France; continuous participation since.

Sectoral Pillars of Cooperation

Defence

•  Spans air, naval assets, helicopter engines, missiles
• Flagship: Rafale aircraft, Scorpène submarines, Shakti helicopter engines

Space  

• 60-year ISRO-CNES (French space agency) cooperation legacy .Joint satellites: Megha-Tropiques, SARAL. Collaboration on Gaganyaan (human spaceflight) and TRISHNA (upcoming joint mission).

Nuclear 

• Context: India's SHANTI Act (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India)
• Feb 2025: India-France Declaration of Intent on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)/Advanced Modular Reactors.

Tech/Innovation

• Bharat Innovates (Nice) 120+ Indian startups/companies participating. VivaTech Summit (Paris)  Europe's largest tech/startup event; India is largest pavilion partner this year.

Geopolitical Backdrop for G7 (Evian)

• West Asia conflict  energy crisis concerns for India (Indian lives at risk in region; US strikes on shipping in Strait of Hormuz killed Indian sailors)
• India's G7 presence framed as reflecting its role as a leading voice of the Global South.