India, France Share Strategic Outlook

NEW DELHI: Dr. Mohan Kumar is perhaps uniquely placed to speak on India and France: he was ambassador there from 2015 to 2017, and had an earlier stint at the mission in Paris as well. In his view, this visit by Prime Minister Modi has considerable strategic implications, not least because it comes on the heels of Modi’s successful visit to Washington. Speaking on The Gist, Dr. Kumar pointed to shared ideas and diplomatic approaches including “strategic autonomy” that permeates both capitals. France has never joined hands with other countries in condemning India, whether during the nuclear tests in 1998 or more recently when Delhi did not join the world in slamming Russia for invading Ukraine. Clearly, in Dr. Kumar’s view, long before the US came to see India as a potentially major power, France had figured that out. Tune in for more in this conversation with Ambassador Mohan Kumar.