In fact, Paris and New Delhi share the same ambition. They both want to shape a multi-polar world where they have a say in the international game. Hence, they are calling together for a search of the “balance of interests” more than the “balance of powers.

Indo French Cooperation Aims for Balance of Interests than Balance of Powers

Chandigarh (ABC Live): The Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his two-day visit to France on Thursday where he will attend the traditional Bastille Day military parade as guest of honour and discuss major new defence deals

The ABC Research team covering Narendra Modi’s France visit 2023 refers an article written by French student Yves-Marie Rault in 2013 on a Shared View of India and France on a Multi-Polar World  for sole aim to make our readers understand the commonalities between Indi and France on their respective geopolitical approaches.

Article says as under;

“France understood long ago that India is not a blend copy of a Western democracy. The non-alignment promoted by Nehru after the war drove the country away from the United States, and more generally from the Western world.

 India has always refused the American diktat “who is not with us is without”. Even when the liberal theses prevailed under the lead of Thatcher or Reagan, the country made the choice of the economic protectionism.  

After the cold war, India re-shaped its foreign policy and relations with the United States. The Indo-American reconciliation really moved forward under Bush. However, India will never be an unwavering performer of the American policy in Asia. Indeed, the Asian nation is a lonely player in the international game, in the way that it does not align on other's view .

 In order to defend its own interests, the country multiplied strategic dialogues with every potential partner on specific issues. Therefore Delhi forged alliances in North-South groups (India, Brazil, Japan, Germany) to reform the United Nations Security Council, as well as in South-South groups or even the World Trade Organization, to denounce the US and EU protectionism in agriculture. 

India is also working on a deepened collaboration with emerging countries such as Brazil and South-Africa .

 In 1998, when India launched its nuclear tests, France did not condemn the event. The international context was however particularly hostile at that time, as three years ago the International Community had extended the Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1970, and two years ago had been signed the Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test Ban treaty, signed by 180 States. 

India discarded both treaties. So the attitude of the French government cannot be understood as an official support to the struggle against the “nuclear apartheid”, which gives privilege to five nuclear countries also permanent members of the UN Security Council. It is more to be understood as an effect of the French view of a multipolar world.

 For instance, in June 2013, the Indian Foreign Secretary Mr Ranjan Mathai re-affirmed that France was one of the fiercest support in his country's quest for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. “France reiterated it's very strong support to India which is important for us because there are other countries which have not come on board to the same extent”, he said. 

France is also supporting India in its search for an increased involvement in the decision-making process of international institutions such as the G8, and to a better access to nuclear civil cooperation.

In fact, Paris and New Delhi share the same ambition. They both want to shape a multi-polar world where they have a say in the international game. Hence, they are calling together for a search of the “balance of interests” more than the “balance of powers”.”

To Read Complete article click here