 Hello, everyone. Welcome to another higher capsule for Shankar IAS Academy. Today our topic is the recent visit to France by the Prime Minister, Srinarendra Modi. The timing came as a bit of a surprise to many people because he had just returned from the United States and it was the time when the capsule was being launched. So for the Prime Minister to be away at that particular time, soon after another visit to the United States surprised many people. But the fact is that this perhaps must have been scheduled earlier. And not only that, the visit to France was in a way a continuation of what happened in Washington during Prime Minister Srinarendra Modi's visit. Our relationship with France is very special in many ways because among the Western countries, among the European countries, France has kept India close because of very common, very many common principles and ideals that both the countries hold. When President Macron was elected President, Mr. Modi made a very conscious effort to cultivate him because he was a new leader with a lot of promise. He was almost like Shinzo Abe or Mr. Macron had a special relationship with India. Not only that, France has been close to us in many ways, even though not advertised, but there are many things in which India and France cooperated. For example, France is the only country with which we have exchange of troops during the celebrations of national days. Like for example, the French have visited India and also the Indian soldiers participated even this year during the Bastille Day. And also the Prime Minister was the chief guest as the national day, that is Bastille Day. And France does not invite foreign heads of state every year. We invite someone or the other, which is a country which is important to us at that particular time, every year to India. And it's a signal of a growing relationship with these countries. But in the case of France, they do not invite a foreign guest every year. They choose years in which they select somebody or the other to come. So the invitation extended to our Prime Minister as the chief guest on Bastille Day was significant because it is symbolically important. And that is probably the reason why the Prime Minister went even and the moon shot was taking place in India. The indications that we received from the Prime Minister's visit to the United States was that a new chapter is being opened in our relations with the United States and generally the western countries. France is not entirely dependent on United States on its foreign policy. They maintain a certain amount of distance, even though it's a NATO country, it's a European Union in many ways linked with the United States. But they have always pursued a fairly independent foreign policy. There are also linkages with European Union, European Parliament. So in many ways, France's policies are linked with all these connections they have with Europe and with the United States. Still, there are several instances where France has shown a particular affection to India. In fact, Dr. Srirak, who was the president of France, who signed the cooperation, the strategic partnership agreement 25 years ago. So this was the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership and that was also significant. So it was the anniversary of the strategic friendship, the strategic partnership. It was the Bastille Day, which is the national day for Europe. And we have opened a new kind of relationship with the West, with the Prime Minister Modi's visit to the United States. So all these indicate that France is a country which is developing regulations with us and we are confident that our strategic partnership will be beneficial. During the visit, of course, we know that the emphasis was, apart from symbolic and ceremonial things, the emphasis was on different supplies. You are aware that we purchased Rafale aircraft, as against F-17 or F-18 from the United States some time ago. At that time, the United States was a little displeased that we bought Rafale rather than American aircraft. Of course, the reason was well known that the American aircraft was already in the possession of Pakistan and therefore we needed to have a diversified military arrangement and therefore we decided to buy Rafale. There were, of course, questions about its appropriateness and kind of deal which has prices paid etc. But eventually, even the Supreme Court approved that the deal was about vote. And when the Chinese infiltrated into Dadaq, we requested for a faster delivery of the Rafale aircraft, the battle aircraft and the French speeded up the supply. And now, apparently, we are buying 26 more and the discussions were finalized on that. And not only that, manufacture, joint manufacture of helicopters in India has been agreed upon and also possibility of French collaboration in manufacturing certain weapons in India, according to making India policy for use abroad. So basically, the visit apart from its political significance, it had a military significance and our cooperation with France has been enhanced on the 25th anniversary of our strategy partnership. And it's important to remember that it was in 1998, early 1998, that this partnership was signed by President Shiraq when he came to India. But soon after, as you all know, in May, we had a nuclear test, the second nuclear test of 1998. And this caused coordination in the whole world and there was very strong reaction from the United States and Western countries in general. So we went into a difficult time with all these countries because they not only condemn the tests because we are not signatories to the NPT. They saw it as a challenge to the NPT regime that the United States and Western European countries attach great importance to. But it was only France that did not join. Of course, France condemned the test in the sense that as a P5, as nuclear weapons states, they were strongly reacting and France was part of it. But the French President at that time insisted that he will not impose any sanctions against India. So France was the first only country in the Western alliance which did not impose sanctions. This is also because we have had cooperation with France in nuclear matters in peaceful use of nuclear energy because they were confident that we would not enter into manufacturing of nuclear weapons. And so even when the decision was taken and we tested our nuclear weapons, the French reaction was quite modest. They did not join with the rest of the Western alliance to condemn India or to cancel the strategic partnership. We maintained that and things continued and India was in great cooperation. And after President Macron came to power, Mr. Modi developed a very good relationship with him and it was the context in which the visit took place. There are some basic elements in the foreign policies of France and India. Like India, France believes in strategic autonomy. They do not consider to be themselves to be an extension of the United States. They do consider India to be independent in its foreign policy and France also has the same attitude. Then both the countries have a very close economic relationship, though the trade is not very high. And that is because of the linkages with European Union and the policies that generally adopted as European Union as a whole. And there is no free trade agreement with the European Union yet. And therefore there are some difficulties in trade. But within the available situation, France has been cooperating with us economically also. And France, like India, believes in non-interference and internal affairs of states and whatever they need to do or they do in terms of human rights situation or lack of press freedom, etc. They do reflect some of the ideas reflected by the western countries in general. But they are much more moderate in this respect. And of course, as it happened just after the Prime Minister's visit, there was a resolution in the European Parliament about the violence in Manipur, which came as a surprise. But again, it was not France, it was the European Parliament. And there was nothing they could do. But they showed some understanding of the situation, just as they always do, because they believe that they should not be unnecessarily interfering in internal affairs of states. So like India, geopolitics without value judgments and no natural or permanent alignment with western ideas as far as India is concerned are what some of the factors that determine India and the French relations. So and also New Delhi and Paris are the tradition of exchanging, as I mentioned, troops during national days. We have had cooperation with France and nuclear energy, space and also supply of defense equipment. Dr. Manmohan Singh was another Prime Minister who was a chief guest at Bastille days some years earlier. And the purchase of equipment, different equipment and there have been many agreements that moved forward and because of the two countries following the strategic autonomy. Then the in space, nuclear energy and defense cooperation, we have been ahead of other countries. And after the waiver of the nuclear suppliers group towards India, not to have supplies, France was one of the first countries to agree to set up two nuclear reactors in India. This is not really materialized. There are several reasons for it. One of the reasons mentioned is the cost factor, because the prices of establishing nuclear reactors in India had risen and France had not provided for that kind of funding and probably this is still under discussion. Secondly, our own nuclear liability law, which prohibited American reactors to come to India applied in the case of France also. So the two nuclear reactors have not been set up but there is an agreement principle that the two countries will set up these joint nuclear reactors in India. There was also the factor that several public demonstrations were held against these reactors and there was criticism that these reactors were not fully tested and therefore some more work had to be done. So these are all some complicated issues that have arisen but there is in principle agreement that France will set up two nuclear reactors in India which will add to our capacity to produce electricity. As you know now, in spite of the nuclear deal, it's only the Russian reactors operate in India, no other foreign reactors have been set up though the United States and France had agreed to it. So what happened in the European Parliament was of course objectionable to us. It was an interference in the internal affairs but France kept a little distance from it and I consider it as a routine responsibility for them to monitor human rights in democratic country. Nearer the time there have been several exchanges between us and France on the Ukraine war, President Macron had made several efforts to find a solution and he visited Russia and he had several conversations with President Putin. Though no progress was made to end the war, his efforts are continued and in this particular case there is also a possibility of India and France working together to end the war in Ukraine. Of course these details are not known but because India and France have similar considerations in having a good relationship with Russia and also the fact that all of us want peace and development in Ukraine. So the effort is being made by President Macron and perhaps there could be some kind of collaboration between him and Prime Minister Modi. That could be another reason for the visit and some discussions may have taken place. And France was the first to sign a nuclear agreement with India and they have taken a view which is balanced because of India's diversity and democratic potentials and so on. These are some of the main elements and India abstained on a France resolution and France had introduced a resolution in the General Assembly seeking collaboration among countries in order to give humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. And this there were a bit disappointed that since this was a humanitarian assistance, India still abstained on it and even that was of course accepted as a kind of legitimate position of India which would be helpful in the by remaining neutral in a sense this position may help in the future. Now Mr President Macron is willing to go to South Africa to attend BRICS but of course now we hear that President Putin is not going there. Macron made a visit to China and there was no concern for us because the French relationship with China is quite benign and it is helpful to us in some ways. In fact the proposal being made by western countries that India should be attracted more to NATO is not something that France supports India and France at a roadmap which does not include relationship with NATO or Quad plus coalition etc. does not seem to attract France. So we have some joint patrols in the in the Pacific because there are French territories in the Pacific which would be of help to India in keeping the peace in the Indo-Pacific region. So in other words, the relationship with France is different from our relationship with the US because there are more sympathy, sentimental linkages between India and France. I just continued at a fairly strong basis that have not been aberrations because in US relations we always say it is like a roller coaster ride but France in the last 25 years at least has remained friendly to India and helpful in many ways, defense, technology and also understanding the human rights situation. So for all these reasons the visit to Prime Minister Modi to France was very significant and very purposeful and it supported the US visit because our acceptance of defense products etc from the United States and Europe in general is a new beginning without our joining NATO or becoming an ally and France respects our position more than all others because they are not trying to push us into any other direction. We are quite happy with what India is and they understand the potential for India and in a sense France has remained a kind of non-aligned in the world. So if perhaps there was going to be a big conflict between India, sorry China and the United States, so France might take a very moderate line and that is that we can see by President Macron's visit to China. So in many words our relationship with France is complementary and is likely to remain so in the near future and that is the importance of President's Prime Minister Modi's visit to France at this time. Thank you. Well I don't know whether that's a factor or many factors and you decide on buying a particular weapon or an aircraft, fighter aircraft from other countries. In the case of France what happened was really that F-17, F-18, the American jets already purchased by Pakistan. So though we may not have had any difficulty with American jets, the important factor was that we had something which is not known or used by Pakistan because after all we are likely to use these debts against Pakistan and therefore it was important for us to have diversity and the French aircraft that is the Rafale aircraft is considered one of the best in the world. Because NATO is willing to admit India, there have been many suggestions that India should join NATO or at least become part of NATO in some particular way but this has been completely rejected by, well not rejected in the sense that we have expressed our opinion clearly about this that NATO is not in the DNA of India. India's DNA is non-alignment and that is non-negotiable is our present position but the recent visit of the Prime Minister to the United States showed a little difference because for the first time United States offered us weapons which they did not normally give to non-NATO countries because they have a system by which they consider some countries as non-NATO alliance countries, allied countries but that we have not accepted. We are simply suggesting that whatever they can offer without our being an ally we would be welcome to receive and that itself is a change in policy. So what United States offered was very interesting and very new and our acceptance of it was also new. So this is yet to be seen how it works but there is no certainly no intention for us to join NATO. Well France stands in the middle in this particular debate. I don't know specifically about carbon tax but many European countries were quite positive to the Kyoto Protocol 2007. They signed it and they were willing to follow the logic of 1992 the Rio agreements but as you know it is the western countries particularly the so-called juice cans that is Japan, United States, Canada and New Zealand. These were the hardliners on that issue and later of course we changed moved away from the Kyoto Protocol and went from Paris and all this you know. So France will be a moderating influence in this you know difference opinion between developed countries and developing countries on climate change but now we are pursuing a slightly different path trying to you know fix net carbon years you know we are committed to having net zero carbon in 2017. Other countries have fixed our other years. We don't know the little work out but in general feeling that it will not and the only way climate change can be controlled is through a scientific breakthrough by which we are able to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and bring it and bury it somewhere or convert into some products, consumer products and such research is going on but people reducing emissions, sacrificing the economic development in the developing countries case and not sacrificing their comforts as in the case of developed countries and that conflict will continue and therefore the best way would be somebody to develop technology which I believe is being developed to capture carbon from the atmosphere and you know bury it somewhere and that possibility is being discussed but support for developing countries, giving them money, reducing their own carbon emissions have not worked so far. Okay and thank you very much.