Topic 1 : Macron visit, India-France ties
Context: India and France built on past agreements in a show of symbolism
Introduction
- Given the circumstances behind the invitation to the French President Emmanuel Macron, his visit to India last week was always going to be more about symbolism and ceremony than about substance.
- Mr. Macron, the sixth French President to grace the Republic Day celebrations, stepped into the breach when U.S. President Joseph Biden declined the invitation.
India-France Strategic Partnership 2023
- India and France had in 2023 already sealed a number of agreements as they marked 25 years of their strategic partnership — a year that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Macron meet a number of times.
- Not only had the two countries already announced a fairly ambitious “Horizon 2047” relationship road map but they had also stated plans for joint production of military hardware, cutting-edge technology transfers and new purchase deals for French aircraft, engines and submarines.
- Diplomats had their work cut out for them with the two sides having to prepare for the Republic Day visit with little time to spare, and with so many agreements already announced.
India-France: Convergence
- Defense: France and India will keep working together on fighter jets and submarines. They have successfully finished the P75 program for six Scorpene submarines and delivered 36 Rafale jets to the Indian Air Force.
- Space: France's CNES and India's ISRO are strengthening their scientific and commercial collaboration. Their joint projects include reusable launchers, the TRISHNA Earth observation satellite, an Indian Ocean constellation of maritime surveillance satellites, and orbital collision prevention for satellites.
- Civil nuclear energy: Work on the Jaitapur 6-EPR power plant project is progressing in both countries. Additionally, they will collaborate on both advanced and small modular reactors.
- Indo-Pacific: As part of their all-encompassing strategy for the area, a roadmap for cooperative actions in the Indo-Pacific is being adopted. Additionally, they are developing an Indo-French development fund for Indo-Pacific sustainable development initiatives.
- Counterterrorism: The National Security Guard of India and the GIGN of France are stepping up their collaboration.
- Collaboration in cutting-edge digital technology, such as cloud computing, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and supercomputing, is critical technology. On the supply of supercomputers, Atos and the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences have reached an agreement.
India-France: Divergence
- Geographical Distance: India and France are separated by a considerable amount of space, which can provide logistical difficulties when it comes to coordination, communication, and carrying out collaborative projects.
- Cultural Differences: The languages, societal norms, and cultural backgrounds of India and France diverge. Because of this potential for misinterpretation and miscommunication, it is critical that both nations work to close the cultural divide and foster mutual understanding.
- Trade Imbalances: India has a trade deficit with France, creating a skewed trade balance. It is a continuous challenge to correct this imbalance and advance balanced trade relations.
- Economic Reforms: Foreign companies, particularly those based in France, may encounter difficulties as a result of India's regulatory framework and economic reforms. Continued economic cooperation depends on resolving these problems and improving the business climate.
- Strategic Alignment: India and France may have different strategic goals and methods, even though they have similar interests in fields like multilateralism, maritime security, and climate change. In some situations, it can be difficult for them to coordinate their approaches and find common ground.
- Regional Dynamics: Divergent priorities may arise from India and France's respective regional interests and engagements. It can be difficult to strike a balance between regional dynamics and ways to align their interests.
Modi-Macron Agreements and Joint Statements
- As a result, it is understandable that many of the agreements announced after the Modi-Macron meeting in Jaipur, and their time together watching the Republic Day Parade, were essentially built on the road map.
- These included the “Defence industrial” road map, meant to expand on plans for the two countries to co-design, co-develop and co-produce defence hardware in the air, on land and sea, as well as a space-defence partnership.
- In addition, the two sides signed MoU documents on agriculture, digital health and science and technology cooperation.
- An assembly-line manufacture of civilian helicopters (Airbus-Tata) was a first, but a private B2B deal.
- The two sides also issued a joint statement on regional and international developments.
- India has been unable to find such common ground with other partners including the U.S. and Russia on these issues but was able to take shared positions with France on the condemnation of terror attacks in Israel, the need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and Ukraine, and concerns over the Red Sea attacks.
Conclusion
- While they did not demonstrate progress in other areas of cooperation, including big ticket defence hardware deals being negotiated, nuclear cooperation for the long-delayed power project in Jaitapur and for small modular reactors, it is clear that each is a work in progress, demonstrating the continuity in a partnership built on a mutual respect for strategic autonomy, which Mr. Macron said at the presidential banquet was also driven by their shared commitment to “tradition and innovation”.
Topic 2 : Momentous ruling: On Israel and the International Court of Justice order
Context: Israel must comply with ICJ’s order to prevent genocide, step up aid in Gaza
Introduction
- Despite the absence of an explicit call for a ceasefire, the ruling handed down by the International Court of Justice is a momentous one that binds Israel to its obligation to prevent acts of genocide in its ongoing military operations in Gaza.
ICJ’s suggested provisional measures.
- The UN’s highest judicial body has spelt out provisional measures after finding that “at least some of the acts and omissions alleged by South Africa to have been committed by Israel in Gaza appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the [Genocide] Convention”.
- South Africa, which took on the extraordinary responsibility of making Israel accountable for its violations of humanitarian law, stands vindicated as the ICJ accepted its standing to approach the court and found its preliminary submissions tenable.
- The ICJ has directed Israel to take effective and immediate measures to ensure humanitarian assistance and basic services to Gaza.
- While Israel and its allies highlight the absence of an order to stop military action, it cannot be ignored that the order is tailored to achieving the objective of preventing genocide, a term that includes killing members of the targeted group, Palestinians, in this case causing serious bodily and mental harm to them and deliberately inflicting on them conditions of life aimed at bringing about the group’s physical destruction.
- The order is a moral and legal indictment of Israel for bombing health facilities, designated safe areas, and densely populated areas.
Israel's Provisional Measures and Genocide Prevention
- Most of the provisional measures were favoured by a 15-2 majority shows a high degree of consensus on steps to prevent genocide.
- A blanket order for cessation of hostilities may have been divisive — not many may agree that there can be no military response to a terrorist attack by non-state armed actors — and render it easy to ignore.
- The order makes it difficult for Israel to choose a policy of deliberate non-compliance. The world should goad Israel into complying with the measures, while carrying out legitimate military operations.
- Its leaders should avoid statements that may be seen as inciting genocide. The part of the ruling that asks for a report in one month on steps taken to implement the measures can only mean that Israel has to demonstrate progress on the extent of humanitarian aid it has permitted.
Conclusion
- An unfortunate development, with a suspicious immediacy after the ICJ order, is the suspension of global aid to the UNRWA, based on an Israeli allegation that 12 staffers were involved in the October 7 attack. This is no time to defund or wind down humanitarian work in Gaza even as a probe into their role is necessary.