India and France cooperate in multiple ways to strengthen Indo-Pacific partnership

Muslims in many parts of India have demonstrated against French President Macron's defense of the cartoons satirizing the Islamic prophet Muhammad under the principle of freedom of speech, but the Indian government has decided to strengthen the Indo-Pacific partnership with France to counter China's expansion.

On the evening of October 21, French President Macron stated at the national funeral of Patty, a middle school teacher who was beheaded by Islamic terrorists of origin, that he supports the caricatures that satirize the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The reason was that the slain teacher was killed by radical Islamists because he showed the disturbance caused by Charlie Hebdo’s Islamic prophet cartoons while explaining freedom of speech in the classroom. But Macron's speech aimed at defending freedom of speech in France sparked a wave of protests in some Islamic countries. In India, which has a Muslim population of 172 million, protests against Macron’s remarks have recently erupted in many areas of the country including Mumbai.

But this did not affect the cooperation between India and France. The Central News Agency reported that considering China's continuous expansion of military and political and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region and even the extension of military activities to the Mediterranean, making European countries feel more threatened, France is actively strengthening security cooperation with India and speeding up the Rafale fighter ( Rafale)’s delivery to India shows France’s support for India’s stand against China at the Sino-Indian border.

The report quoted a report from the Economic Times of India on Monday that after the undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited France last week, the two countries decided to use bilateral foreign ministries, defense ministries, and military and civilian entities. Cooperation mechanisms such as strengthening the partnership between India and France in the Indo-Pacific region. During his visit to France, Shringela said that India and France are strong partners in the Indo-Pacific region and united in their vision. Both sides agree that it is very important to maintain a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Standardized international order.

In September this year, when the Sino-Indian border relations were tense, French Defense Minister Florence Parly went to India for a lightning trip to promote the development of French military industry. France once pointed out that in addition to selling arms, it also hopes to promote diplomatic and strategic cooperation with India in the region. France has just held the first trilateral meeting with India and Australia to promote multi-faceted cooperation in the region. According to Agence France-Presse, this is the third visit to India by the French Minister of Defense since he took office. The news did not mention the details of the French Defense Minister’s itinerary in India, but there were separate talks with the Indian Foreign Minister and the Indian National Security Advisor. Before ending his visit to the country, the French Defense Minister participated in the official handover ceremony of 5 French fighter Rafale. The aircraft arrived in India at the beginning of this summer. India has ordered 36 Rafale fighters from France.

India is France’s most important partner and military buyer in South Asia. Over the past 10 years, India has ordered French military products worth 13 billion euros.

France is the first country in Europe to launch an Indo-Pacific strategy and India is an important pillar of France's Indo-Pacific strategy. The two sides cooperate closely in the western and southern parts of the Indian Ocean.