‘France: A Sturdy, Dependable And All-Weather Strategic Partner’

NEW DELHI: On ‘The Gist‘, Ambassador Mohan Kumar, India’s Former Envoy to France, Chairman of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) think-tank, Dean, International Affairs and Professor of Diplomatic Practice at Jindal Global University in analysis with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi.

Dr Kumar discusses the third India-France Annual Defence Dialogue, his conversation with French Defence Minister Florence Parly at the Ananta Centre, the Indo-Pacific, both countries’ policies towards an aggressive China, multilateralism, France’s “maritime coordinated presence in the Gulf of Guinea”, an extension of the concept to the Indian Ocean, the Mozambique Channel, France being “ready to answer any additional(Rafale) needs or requests made by India” including possibly for the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier(IAC/INS Vikrant), joint development/production of aircraft engines, the Australia, UK, U.S.(AUKUS) partnership, whether India can get French Barracuda nuclear-powered submarines and technology, the relationship President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have built up and strategic dialogue meetings held by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.