India-France news

kancha · Post by **kancha** » 12 Jan 2019 14:54

@IndiaToday
#BREAKING
A massive explosion struck Central Paris causing several injuries

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 12 Jan 2019 18:09

caused by gas leak as per french authorities.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 16 Jan 2019 12:24

Rahul M wrote:caused by gas leak as per french authorities.

i doubt that explanation.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Jan 2019 13:06

perhaps some other type of bread was being prepared in backside of that bakery.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 16 Jan 2019 17:10

might have been some manufacturing error for black cheese, that was imported to mumbai in early '90s

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 14 Aug 2019 03:37

PM Modi’s France visit: Focus on terrorism, space and military cooperation.

We need to pursue the relationship and make it truly Strategic. We cannot take support from Russia or USA for granted and need at least one guaranteed/assured Veto wielding power in our corner to take care of any exigencies in the Security Council/UN General assembly.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 14 Aug 2019 15:38

^^ok now i know why the rafale rumours aer flying higher than the kites..

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 23 Aug 2019 18:42

India, Pakistan should resolve Kashmir bilaterally, no third party should 'incite' violence: Macron.

India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally and no third party should "interfere or incite" violence in the region, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday after his marathon one-on-one talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two leaders reviewed the entire gamut of the dynamic and multifaceted bilateral relationship during their more than 90-minute long oneon-one meeting at Chateau de Chantilly, one of the finest jewels of French cultural heritage, located about 50 kms north of Paris.

The one-on-one interaction was followed by the delegation-level talks. After the talks, the two countries signed four MoUs.

In a joint press statement after the talks, President Macron said that Prime Minister Modi briefed him about the recent decision taken by India on Jammu and Kashmir and that it is in their sovereignty.

"I told him that India and Pakistan will have to find a solution to the issue and no third party should interfere or incite violence in the region," Macron said. He said that peace should be maintained in the region and peoples' rights should be protected. "I will also speak to Pakistan Prime Minister after a few days and tell him that the talks should be held bilaterally," the French president said.

He also said that France will deliver 1st of the 36 Rafale fighter jets to India next month.

Speaking after Macron, Prime Minister Modi said the relationship between India and France is not based on any selfishness, but on solid ideals of 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity'. He said India and France will expand cooperation in counter terrorism and security. "Both our countries are constantly facing terrorism. We thank President Macron for the valuable support that France has received in combating cross-border terrorism. We intend to broaden cooperation on security and counter-terrorism," Modi added. He said France and India stand firm together to meet the challenges of climate change, environment, and technology inclusive development. "Together we can pave the way for a safe and prosperous world," Modi said.

In a joint statement issued after the talks, the two leaders reiterated their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including cross-border terrorism and terror-related incidents in France and India. "Both leaders reaffirmed that terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds whatsoever and it should not be associated with any religion, creed, nationality and ethnicity," it said.

Recalling the joint statement on terrorism adopted by the two countries in January 2016, the two leaders reaffirmed their strong determination to eliminate terrorism wherever it is to be found and urged the international community to strengthen the efforts to counter and prevent terrorist financing.

"Both the leaders agreed to work for early convening of the Global Conference, proposed by India, to tackle the threat of terrorism around the world," the statement said. They called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities. The leaders also agreed to work together on early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN.

The two leaders also agreed to enhance their operational cooperation and launch fresh efforts to prevent and fight radicalisation, especially online radicalisation.

Identifying defence industrial cooperation as one of the mainstays of the strategic partnership between India and France, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in this field.

On trade, they decided to further strengthen work on solving trade and investment issues of concern for the French and Indian companies, including by additional ways and mechanisms. They agreed to reactivate the high-level France-India economic and financial dialogue as quickly as possible.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress in negotiations between NPCIL and EDF since the conclusion of the Industrial Way Forward Agreement between the two parties in 2018 for the construction of six nuclear power reactors in India in Jaitapur, Maharashtra.

The two sides also vowed to deepen their space cooperation so as to meet new challenges together, whether it concerns planetary exploration or human spaceflight, the statement said.

They agreed to significantly enhance people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges, and expand cooperation in education.

The two countries reaffirmed the importance of fulfilling the commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement and also urged all developed countries to scale up their contributions to Green Climate Fund in its first replenishment cycle in line with their commitments.

France and India also agreed that full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian Nuclear Programme and the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 was needed to ensure regional and international peace and security and that current issues need to be resolved peacefully through dialogue, the statement said.

Ahead of the meeting, Macron explained the historic significance of the chateau to Modi and took him around the centuries-old building.

Prime Minister Modi was accorded a red carpet welcome at the airport where he was received by Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 25 Aug 2019 19:41

Old new friends: C. Raja Mohan.

For nearly four decades, successive French presidents — Francois Mitterand in the 1980s, Jacques Chirac from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s and Nicolas Sarkozy after that — made repeated efforts to elevate the engagement with India to a higher level. If Paris was an eager suitor, Delhi was distracted. Preoccupied with other major powers — US, Russia and China — and burdened by its inherited Anglo-Saxon bias, Delhi could hardly appreciate the pivotal value of France, and more broadly that of Europe, in transforming India’s international position.

The one-sided love affair has begun to change as Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid greater strategic attention to France and Europe in the first term. While many pending issues relating to Europe were sorted out during 2014-19, it was the boosting of ties with France that stood out as an important feature of Modi’s foreign policy in the first term. The PM’s summit with French President Emmanuel Macron this week and participation in the G-7 outreach next week mark the injection of some real content into the bilateral strategic partnership that was unveiled more than two decades ago in 1998.

The Modi-Macron bromance could not have come at a more critical time for the two countries. The relative harmony between the major powers witnessed after the Cold War is now becoming a distant memory. The growing tensions between the US on the one hand and China and Russia on the other are roiling the international waters. Meanwhile, thanks to Donald Trump, the cracks in the political West are widening.

As they come to terms with the breakdown of the post-War order, India and France recognise the urgency of constructing coalitions that can provide a measure of stability in an increasingly unstable world. France, which had sought strategic autonomy within the framework of its alliance with the US, and India, which has valued independent foreign policy, are natural partners in building the new coalitions for an uncertain era.

The rapid rise of China — and the expanding gap in the national power indices in favour of Beijing — have altered the balance of power in India’s neighbourhood. During the Cold War, India had turned to the Soviet Union to ensure a stable regional balance.

In the last few years, Russia has been drawing steadily closer to China. This movement is not defined by any problem between Moscow and Delhi, but Russia’s larger global calculus. That Russia has a broader and deeper economic and political relationship with China means the new entente between Moscow and Beijing can only make it harder for Delhi to rely on the former to balance the latter.

After the turbulent 1990s when Delhi and Washington argued over non-proliferation and Kashmir, the two sides settled into a period of stable and expanding partnership under the presidencies of George Bush and Barack Obama lasting from 2001-2017. The arrival of Donald Trump in the White House in early 2017, amidst an unexpected turn in American domestic politics, has begun to produce complications for India on a range of issues — from bilateral trade to regional and global affairs.

Trump was, by no means, trying to target India in particular. Delhi has been affected by sweeping changes in the foreign, economic and national security policies unleashed by Trump. He has turned hostile to the WTO and walked away from many multilateral arrangements. He has spewed venom on long-standing US allies for being a burden on the American exchequer. As he withdraws from some of the conflict zones, Trump insists that America’s allies and friends do more for their own security. His recent call on India to join the fight against Islamic State in Afghanistan is part of that belief system.

Whether these new emphases will survive the Trump presidency or not, they have unnerved most of America’s partners in Europe and Asia. For many nations, including India and France, coping with the muscular assertiveness of China, the resurgence of Russia and the retrenchment of America become the central challenge of their foreign and security policies.

As they look for options in a world where the old political certitudes look shaky, India and France see that strengthening bilateral cooperation and building coalitions with like-minded countries is critical for the protection of their long term interests. The new imperatives driving India and France have manifested themselves in a five-fold agenda for Modi and Macron.

First, enhancing bilateral cooperation in strategic sectors. France has always been an important partner in the development of advanced technologies. This is set to advance further with the consolidation of civil nuclear cooperation and enhancing space cooperation. The summit this week saw the placing of artificial intelligence and the unfolding digital revolution at the top of the bilateral agenda. Second, the new commitment to go beyond the buyer-seller relationship in the field of weapons procurement. When India comes up with clear policies for making arms in India, the synergies between India’s large defence market and the French strengths in armament production would come into full play.

Third, political cooperation between India and France is relatively new; it began with French support for India in limiting international sanctions on Delhi after its 1998 nuclear tests. Today, France has emerged as India’s most reliable partner on issues relating to terrorism and Kashmir.

Fourth, the relationship between India and France has gone beyond the bilateral to focus on the regional. Modi and Macron this week have agreed to intensify maritime and naval cooperation in the Indian Ocean and more broadly the Indo-Pacific. There is a sweeping and ambitious ocean agenda awaiting the two countries — from maritime governance to oceanographic research and from interoperability between their armed forces to capacity building in the littoral.

Finally, it is the prospect of global agenda-setting that is beginning to make the India-France strategic partnership very exciting. After their joint efforts to limit climate change and develop the Solar Alliance, India and France have turned to more ambitious ideas. The road map on cybersecurity and digital technology issued by Modi and Macron this week provides the framework for long-term cooperation on a set of issues, whose weight is growing by the day.

France also opens the pathway for deeper engagement with Europe on global issues. Since independence, India has experimented with different institutions — including the NAM and BRICS — to shape global norms. The new partnerships with France, Germany and other like-minded countries like Japan would hopefully turn out to be far more consequential for India’s influence on the global stage.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 25 Aug 2019 19:52

FWIW ...

https://twitter.com/bababanaras/status/ ... 4026041344

अर्ध-सन्यासी (Half Hermit) @bababanaras

Guys want to share one more progress about arms deal with France. Both governments are principally agreed and we are about to buy 114 more Rafael jets to fulfill requirements of our airforce. Few technical points are there but we r hoping the same will be solve by end of 2019.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 25 Aug 2019 20:33

If true, For this big order to be confirmed France would have to offer something very substantial as a quid pro quo.

VikramA · Post by **VikramA** » 25 Aug 2019 20:51

Vips wrote:If true, For this big order to be confirmed France would have to offer something very substantial as a quid pro quo.

I disagree. france does not have to offer anything substantial. any leverage that india had at the negotiating table ended when it ordered 36 planes. india is now semi stuck in a dassault ecosystem consisting of physical infra at airbases, aircraft specific pilot training , missiles,investment in personnel that will maintain the aircraft and spare parts. fact of matter is IAF does not have any choice but to order more fighters from france because no other option exists. F-21 is single engine aircraft and cannot perform the same role as raf can, SU-30 MKI has lower fly away cost but higher opex cost and lower per day sortie rate. the only other option are eurofighter and f-18 and no sane airforce will buy both raf and euro fighter/f-18 to perform the same role.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 25 Aug 2019 20:57

pankajs wrote:FWIW ...

https://twitter.com/bababanaras/status/ ... 4026041344
अर्ध-सन्यासी (Half Hermit) @bababanaras

Guys want to share one more progress about arms deal with France. Both governments are principally agreed and we are about to buy 114 more Rafael jets to fulfill requirements of our airforce. Few technical points are there but we r hoping the same will be solve by end of 2019.

Dont know if it's true but if it is, it might very well be a response to DT trying to play negotiator.

khan · Post by **khan** » 25 Aug 2019 21:42

VikramA wrote:
Vips wrote:If true, For this big order to be confirmed France would have to offer something very substantial as a quid pro quo.
I disagree. france does not have to offer anything substantial. any leverage that india had at the negotiating table ended when it ordered 36 planes. india is now semi stuck in a dassault ecosystem consisting of physical infra at airbases, aircraft specific pilot training , missiles,investment in personnel that will maintain the aircraft and spare parts. fact of matter is IAF does not have any choice but to order more fighters from france because no other option exists. F-21 is single engine aircraft and cannot perform the same role as raf can, SU-30 MKI has lower fly away cost but higher opex cost and lower per day sortie rate. the only other option are eurofighter and f-18 and no sane airforce will buy both raf and euro fighter/f-18 to perform the same role.

Both India & France have an incentive to be reasonable here. Both sides want India to operate more than 36 Rafale’s. I am sure they will find a way to make the numbers work & make a deal.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 25 Aug 2019 22:18

While India is bound to order more Rafales, the number of planes would depend on what else France is going to offer. A staunch veto on behalf of India at UNSC plus some.other carrots would be expected.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 25 Aug 2019 22:41

khan wrote:
VikramA wrote: I disagree. france does not have to offer anything substantial. any leverage that india had at the negotiating table ended when it ordered 36 planes. india is now semi stuck in a dassault ecosystem consisting of physical infra at airbases, aircraft specific pilot training , missiles,investment in personnel that will maintain the aircraft and spare parts. fact of matter is IAF does not have any choice but to order more fighters from france because no other option exists. F-21 is single engine aircraft and cannot perform the same role as raf can, SU-30 MKI has lower fly away cost but higher opex cost and lower per day sortie rate. the only other option are eurofighter and f-18 and no sane airforce will buy both raf and euro fighter/f-18 to perform the same role.
Both India & France have an incentive to be reasonable here. Both sides want India to operate more than 36 Rafale’s. I am sure they will find a way to make the numbers work & make a deal.

Yes India can very well stop at 72 and go for additional SU30 MKI's.The French would know that there is possible business beyond 114 warbirds wit naval order for 57 jets too.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 25 Aug 2019 22:46

schinnas wrote:While India is bound to order more Rafales, the number of planes would depend on what else France is going to offer. A staunch veto on behalf of India at UNSC plus some.other carrots would be expected.

This is very important.Within the next 5 years Russia for sure would not be able to guarantee a veto for us as it would be totally under China's ambit. Uncle Sam's policy would be subject too who exactly is in the White House and someone like Trump cannot be trusted. Same goes for its puddle UK. The only game remaining is France and we have to go all out in cultivating a robust strategic relationship with them.(Even if it means paying insane $$ for the French stuff as we are without options).

kit · Post by **kit** » 26 Aug 2019 01:01

Vips wrote:
schinnas wrote:While India is bound to order more Rafales, the number of planes would depend on what else France is going to offer. A staunch veto on behalf of India at UNSC plus some.other carrots would be expected.
This is very important.Within the next 5 years Russia for sure would not be able to guarantee a veto for us as it would be totally under China's ambit. Uncle Sam's policy would be subject too who exactly is in the White House and someone like Trump cannot be trusted. Same goes for its puddle UK. The only game remaining is France and we have to go all out in cultivating a robust strategic relationship with them.(Even if it means paying insane $$ for the French stuff as we are without options).

Seriously ? India should not be spending "insane $$" without any meanigful sharing of tech , lets just say France needs India and India has shared interests with them

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 26 Aug 2019 01:12

In five years India won't need any veto cover in the UN or any other place.

Roop · Post by **Roop** » 26 Aug 2019 03:34

sanjaykumar wrote:In five years India won't need any veto cover in the UN or any other place.

Interesting. I am not necessarily disagreeing with you here, but I am curious to know what exactly you mean.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 26 Aug 2019 04:51

There are a number of indicators:

Projected $4-5 trillion economy
Economy in top four world economies
Massive domestic spending on infrastructure including roads, airports,energy, railways, ports, hospitals, digital infrastructure-all requiring investments
Political stability
Regional troublemaker emasculated-no contest victory
Technological competence-space to nuclear submarines

Aslo US and the west generally in need of a powerful ally
Middle East in need of buyer for oil and investment destination
No objection certificate to be issued liberally by China as Indian purchasing power multiplies-for UNSC, transfer of Gilgit Baltistan etc They do not want US/India opening up the Tibet issue

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 26 Aug 2019 09:51

Interesting snippets of the G7 leaders.

Here Modi is posing with for a photograph with Macron and his wife and then greeting Angela Merkel and then the group photo:

and here Modi is getting down for a bilateral meeting with Boris Johnson. Interesting that Johnson greets almost all the senior aides to Modi at this meeting, beginning with Doval:

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 29 Aug 2019 07:47

India, France to hold talks on defence buys today.

Within a week of the Modi-Macron summit, India and France will hold a strategic dialogue to talk acquisition and development of defence
equipment. NSA Ajit Doval will host his counterpart, Emmanuel Bonne in New Delhi on Thursday to take forward the decisions taken at the August
22 summit.

According to officials, on the table for the high-level discussion would be the next order for fighter aircraft, among other defence equipment.
France is keen to pick up another order of Rafale fighter jets after the first 36 are ready to be delivered. These would be on international bidding.
The US also wants to hawk its F-21 aircraft, while Sweden is hoping to sell its Gripen.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh will be here in September for the hand over of the first Rafale. Indian pilots will be trained in France so it may be a while before the jet makes its way to India.

Of much greater significance and far more ambitious is a new India-France project to co-develop and co-build a next generation jet engine for use by India. The lead French defence company in the reckoning here is Safran. There is little clarity on how this will be developed in India, including agencies and companies to be involved. What is clear is that the project has been nicknamed INFRA. Modi may have been hinting at this when he said after his meeting with Macron here that India and France were building INFRA in several sectors.

If it happens, this would be momentous — there aren’t that many companies in the world that can build jet engines. If India does achieve the feat, it would go a long way in giving the country autonomy in defence purchases.

It is rumoured that the outgoing French ambassador to India, Alexander Ziegler may be joining Safran, making negotiations much less problematic. This kind of movement is fairly common among envoys who have served in India where they get get snapped up by the private sector to help navigate the opaque Indian system.

Doval has been the point-person in the Modi government to lead the discussion on defence acquisitions. The government's decision to set up the chief of defence staff, officials say, will go a long way to easing friction between the services both on inter-operability as well as streamlining acquisitions. Doval met with Bonne in Osaka on the sidelines of the G-20. The decision by both governments to hold a strategic dialogue so soon after a summit is a sign of the urgency which is invested in these decisions.

In addition, France is keen to add more Scorpene submarines to India’s inventory. Government officials here suggested these could be part of India's P-75 line of submarines which have been an on-again-off-again project for years (DDM). This time however the French are keen to make them in India --- the Indian government is keen to involve both public and private sector shipyards for these.

France is also keen to sell about 18 Caracal helicopters for the Indian Coast Guard, as well as almost 100 heavy “Panther” helicopters for the Indian Navy, both to be made by French company Airbus.

Prithwiraj · Post by **Prithwiraj** » 29 Aug 2019 08:14

Vips wrote:
schinnas wrote:While India is bound to order more Rafales, the number of planes would depend on what else France is going to offer. A staunch veto on behalf of India at UNSC plus some.other carrots would be expected.
This is very important.Within the next 5 years Russia for sure would not be able to guarantee a veto for us as it would be totally under China's ambit. Uncle Sam's policy would be subject too who exactly is in the White House and someone like Trump cannot be trusted. Same goes for its puddle UK. The only game remaining is France and we have to go all out in cultivating a robust strategic relationship with them.(Even if it means paying insane $$ for the French stuff as we are without options).

What exactly UNSC seat gives us as a benefit other than entry to prestigious golf club ? I would rather spend that money in my country to build infrastructure and make people lives better

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 29 Aug 2019 18:09

If there is no indication of the UN being replaced like league of nations or made more inclusive then i would want India to be a member of the prestigious golf club. We may build all the infrastructure in the world and become like Germany or Japan but compared to China what is it stature? A veto wielding membership is the prerequisite for vacating any likely anti- india moves in the future which no amount of strategic relations with other countries can guarantee.

Parasu · Post by **Parasu** » 29 Aug 2019 21:11

Vips wrote:
schinnas wrote:While India is bound to order more Rafales, the number of planes would depend on what else France is going to offer. A staunch veto on behalf of India at UNSC plus some.other carrots would be expected.
This is very important.Within the next 5 years Russia for sure would not be able to guarantee a veto for us as it would be totally under China's ambit. Uncle Sam's policy would be subject too who exactly is in the White House and someone like Trump cannot be trusted. Same goes for its puddle UK. The only game remaining is France and we have to go all out in cultivating a robust strategic relationship with them.(Even if it means paying insane $$ for the French stuff as we are without options).

What if there is no veto. What possibly can the Security Council gang do against India other than pass hot air?

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 10 Oct 2019 21:38

French whiteness is in crisis

Why did Lilian Thuram's matter-of-fact analysis about white supremacy cause a storm of controversy in France ?

Race is a taboo subject in France, which claims to be "a colourblind country". Therefore, a large portion of white people in France are not used to having frank conversations about race and racism. When they are forced to talk about the subject, they expertly move the focus of the discussion from racism itself to the hurt they feel when a black person dares to mention the existence and pervasiveness of white supremacy in France and beyond.

They insist "they do not see colour", they say "they are against all forms of discrimination", they accuse people of colour of "playing the race card". They cannot see white supremacy is at the core of their country's social structure because they have been raised to believe "white" is the norm, not an identity. The accusations of anti-white racism directed at the likes of Thuram, therefore, are little more than a coping mechanism. People who refuse to acknowledge their privilege and the role they play in the perseverance of a system built on white supremacy instead play the victim.

There is, of course, no such thing as anti-white racism. There cannot be anti-white racism in a white-majority European country like France, because racism cannot be reduced to the sum of isolated acts. What black people experience today in France is the result of a history of domination that started with slavery and colonialism. Black people in France exist in a system that was built long ago to oppress, silence and intimidate us. We experience institutional discrimination that influences our everyday lives in various ways – from healthcare to education, housing to police brutality.

In this system, a white person can, of course, still be exposed to hate, they can be bullied or even assaulted - and such incidents should be condemned - but they can never claim to be systematically oppressed because of their race. Being white is not a social or political handicap but a privilege in France. So, the systemic and institutional racism minorities in France are subject to can never be compared with the abuse or discrimination any white person experiences as an individual.

Today, French whiteness is in crisis. It is in crisis because minorities in France are finally in a position to voice their concerns and grievances in the mainstream and they are pressuring the country to have an honest and open conversation about race.

The toxic ideas of the likes of Marechal and Zemmour about the so-called "anti-white racism" and "the war on white people" are now resonating with white people across the political spectrum, because they are afraid to face their privilage and acknowledge that their dominant position in society is the result of centuries-old injustices. They are afraid to accept that "white" is an identity just like "brown" and "black" and not the universal "self" every single "other" is defined against.

Lilian Thuram became a target not because he said anything wrong or new, but because he touched a nerve. I suspect many more anti-racism activists are going to experience similar bursts of outrage in the near future. But one day, French society is going to run out of excuses to avoid having a real discussion about race. We are going to stop talking about made-up problems like anti-white racism and instead tackle the real issues that are dividing and crippling our nation. The panic that currently follows any minor comment on race and white supremacy makes me believe that the day of reckoning is now very near.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 26 Oct 2019 18:12

French President announces 3-pronged security partnership with India for Southern Indian Ocean.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced a three-pronged security partnership with India in the southern Indian Ocean in the backdrop of China’s growing ambitions in the region. Macron stated that India and France were sharing the analysis of joint maritime security in the southern Indian Ocean, working on a joint maritime surveillance in the region and looking at possible deployment of an Indian Navy maritime patrol vessel in Reunion Island from the first quarter of 2020.

In an indirect reference to China’s designs on the western and southern Indian Ocean Region, the French President said in his speech, “We must protect the Great Indo-Pacific space for no hegemony to reign. A security presence in the region is essential for building this freedom in sovereignty and for establishing a common agenda.”

“Together with India, we have been working with PM Modi on a shared ocean vision and strengthened our operational cooperation for stability and security in the region....It's an unprecedented movement, a very profound change. A few years ago we had never planned to engage with our Indian friends here in the same way as the operations we did recently. This is the reality of this strategic agenda that we share,” he said.

Macron said, “This common security agenda in the region is an agenda of maritime surveillance, protection of our marine areas, construction of a joint agenda to avoid any form of hegemony or intrusion and it is noted that the France is the 2nd largest maritime power in the world.”

The French President’s comments came at the event where ministers of India, France and Vanilla Islands (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles in the western Indian Ocean) met to explore economic and development partnership. India was represented by the minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan at the first such ministerial meet.

India, in partnership with France, is keen to focus on port development, blue economy, trade, connectivity, tourism, skill development, hospitality and healthcare in this resource-rich region, said people aware of the matter. India is also eyeing gas deposits in the Mozambique Channel near Vanilla Islands.

The joint statement issued after Modi’s meeting with Macron on August 22 had indicated enhancement in the Indo-French partnership in the western Indian Ocean.

“Based on a shared commitment to maintaining the freedom of navigation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific zone, maritime security cooperation between France and India is a domain of excellence in their strategic partnership,” said the joint statement. surveillance in the region and looking at possible deployment of an Indian Navy maritime patrol vessel in Reunion Island from the first quarter of 2020.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 23 Nov 2019 07:51

In Modi Era, France has Replaced Russia as India’s New Best Friend

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 18 Dec 2019 00:19

China drops plea for discussion on Kashmir at UN.

France and other permanent members (which other members ?) of the UN Security Council on Tuesday thwarted an effort by China, acting on behalf of Pakistan, to discuss the situation in Kashmir, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

China pushed for a meeting of the UN Security Council behind closed doors — the second such effort since an earlier meet on the Kashmir issue on August 16. At that time, China’s attempt to have an open and formal meeting of the Security Council was rebuffed by members of the body, which agreed to hold only “closed consultations”.

The people cited above said France and other permanent members of the Security Council conveyed to China the body was the not the best forum to discuss the Kashmir issue, which ought to be handled bilaterally by India and Pakistan. Non-permanent members of the council, such as Germany and Poland, too, showed no inclination for a discussion on Kashmir, they said.

The Chinese side subsequently withdrew its note seeking the meeting on Kashmir, the people added.

“Kashmir will not be discussed in the Security Council today (Tuesday),” said one of them, a French official.

“Our (France’s) position has been very clear — the Kashmir issue has to be treated bilaterally. We have highlighted this several times recently, including in New York,” this person added (Unequivocal and clear support of/to India from France). The closed consultations on August 16 marked the first time the Security Council took up the “India-Pakistan Question” — the UN’s term for the Kashmir issue — since 1971. Pakistan has been lobbying with China to take up the Kashmir issue in the Security Council since India revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir on August 5 and decided to split it into two Union territories.

In a letter sent to the Security Council on December 12, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed concern about a possible escalation of tensions in Kashmir. According to Reuters, China’s UN mission had written in its note to members of the Security Council: “In view of the seriousness of the situation and the risk of further escalation, China would like to echo the request of Pakistan, and request a briefing of the Council... on the situation of Jammu & Kashmir.” The discussion would not have involved a vote.

Beijing’s move created a flutter in New Delhi as it came days ahead of an expected meeting of the Special Representatives on the boundary issue — national security adviser Ajit Doval and foreign minister Wang Yi. The two leaders are set to meet in the Indian capital on December 21 after an earlier meeting scheduled for September was put off due to differences between the two sides. People familiar with developments said China appeared to be testing the waters in the Security Council for support for a move on the Kashmir issue following criticism by Western and Europe countries of the security lockdown and communications blackout in the region.

China, which claims the Ladakh region, has opposed the reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir. India has responded by saying the changes are an internal matter that don’t affect external boundaries.

We need to invest more in our strategic relationship with France and make sure we have them firmly on our side in future battles that will be waged against us at the UN.

hgupta · Post by **hgupta** » 18 Dec 2019 04:17

Vips wrote: We need to invest more in our strategic relationship with France and make sure we have them firmly on our side in future battles that will be waged against us at the UN.

They are only doing this for money since they know that India will keep buying more of her products. Their only interest is money. Not that I mind it but at least keep your eyes open and see where their interests lie in.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 18 Dec 2019 04:53

Peaceful, warmly-lit City of Lighted Fires: Paris

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 18 Dec 2019 05:06

More Fake News from rt.com. Oh wait, it seems to be the truth.

Actually it is more about UQ and Deutschland.

Because the Christian festival offers a clear target to Islamist terrorists, many people are simply staying away, in fear.
The UQ government’s latest advice warns that {friendly UK-Paki} terrorists are “very likely” to carry out attacks in Germany over the festive period in what is a massive blow to the markets of Berlin, Cologne and elsewhere.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 18 Dec 2019 05:37

Roop wrote:
sanjaykumar wrote:In five years India won't need any veto cover in the UN or any other place.
Interesting. I am not necessarily disagreeing with you here, but I am curious to know what exactly you mean.

If any other political formation other that a strong Modi/AS led govt comes to power, the BIF are back in the saddle with all the other foreign policy constraints vying to come back. If Modi/AS are out, the caste factor in the BJP will become uncontrollable with the usual well known fatal consequences.

The international left/naxals/FFNGOs are desperately looking for the way in. The open association of yechury with the congis is a lurking danger. Look at how quickly corbin tried muscle his way into the Indian national narrative via the newly rejuvenated cashmere front they are trying to open up. france too has very strong socialist tendencies and who knows which way the french deep state will manoeuver while jockeying for advantage. Some of these UK/european deep states have been in existence since the crusades.

The arabs are already partially in the tent. We have yet to see where they will piss, inside the tent or out of the tent while standing inside

The FFNGOs may wrangle their way back in one way or the other. france is a catholic country and that means rome is not too far away. They have often conspired with rome, through the centuries.

There has to be a better explanation as to why so many french presidents are betting on India. Apart form commerce (MIL trade + normal trade), what real strategic fit can there be between us and them. They are looking to replace the brit and ameriki (protestant) narrative so their global standing is enhanced. We are a poor second in this approach.

The french veto may not matter so much in the medium to long term as there will be other ways for the termites to eat away at the woodwork. france's veto will always be conditional because they respect the dollar way more than they do us.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 19 Dec 2019 07:45

hgupta wrote:
Vips wrote: We need to invest more in our strategic relationship with France and make sure we have them firmly on our side in future battles that will be waged against us at the UN.
They are only doing this for money since they know that India will keep buying more of her products. Their only interest is money. Not that I mind it but at least keep your eyes open and see where their interests lie in.

Yes i know but it is the TINA factor. Russians have become the lackeys of chinese and cannot be relied on or trusted. UK is the poodle of Uncle Sam and will do what he says but Uncle Sam is very tricky to handle. So France is the only game left and if we have to spend money to buy Defense hardware from them and keep them happy it is still a win-win as their equipment is top notch.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 19 Dec 2019 09:09

More Peace in Paris

Though they wear high-vis, French protesters have been all but invisible in the so-called mainstream media, also provoking deafening silence from the labor and trade union movement, and even the so-called ‘left’ within it.

While a broken head or even a broken window in Hong Kong or Venezuela can and often does lead the news, more than a year of weekly upheaval, mass movements of working people met with extreme violence by the French state and its achingly liberal President Macron has been ignored by Western print and broadcast journalists with studied arrogance.

There can be no rational justification for this. Hong Kong is almost 6,000 miles (9,656km) from England, Caracas almost 5,000 (8,047km). France is 31 miles (50km) away. It’s not cheap to send and maintain news crews at the other ends of the earth. Cheap awaydays proliferate to Paris.

No news judgement could possibly justify the almost complete absence of coverage of widespread disorder amid massive crowds in our nearest European neighbor over an entire year. Indeed, such is the antipathy between the English elite and the French (and vice versa), to borrow a German word, one might have expected a sense of schadenfreude to drive British coverage, in top gear! But not a bit of it. So much for the Yellow Vests. Of course, what has now happened is that the entire organized working class of France has taken to the battlefield. Great unions – like the moderate CFDT as well as the militant CGT – with millions of members are now physically confronting the power of the French state.

The proximate cause of this new development is Macron’s pension “reforms.” Nowadays, reforms are bad things, whereas in former times they were good things – essentially making French workers work longer for less pension upon retirement.

But as with the Yellow Vests – whose original casus belli was a tax on fuel – this is about far more than pensions now. The French working class are sick and tired of austerity, sick of the corruption and excess of the peacock throne of President Macron, sick of the EU, sick of the whole political class. Precisely the formula which drove the Brexit victory on our side of La Manche.

Traditionally the French – predisposed over centuries to revolution – are far from sedate soft-shoe shufflers on protests. Conversely, the French “riot police” take no prisoners. An irresistible force meeting an immovable object.

But it is one thing the police battering students or even ordinary workers. It is another thing to see the police wading into firefighters in full gear – protective gear – as has been happening these last two weeks. No one has seen two uniformed disciplined services knock seven bells out of each other on the streets of Paris since, well, since forever. The crisis appears to be spiraling out of the control of the French state; Christmas could literally have to be canceled. Tourism has been hit hard, I personally know three couples who have canceled romantic Christmas breaks in the French capital. Air, bus, and train travel threatens to grind to a halt. One would be less surprised to wake up to the news that the National Assembly had been sacked than Louis Bourbon was to learn of the storming of the Bastille.

Given the almost existential challenge being mounted against one of the EU’s twin pillars, one can begin to understand the near universal silence in Western capitals – not least their fear of the power of example.

But why the silence on the “left”?

Partly it is a sense of shame that the French workers are putting up the kind of fight they wouldn’t even dream of contemplating. But partly it is the absence of liberalism among the massed ranks of French workers. They have cast away with disdain the identity politics which so infests what passes for the left in most Western countries.

READ MORE: Heavily-armed soldiers, violence, sky-high prices, a Santa Claus gender war & no mention of the Nativity… Merry Christmas, Europe!

This not about gay rights, about black emancipation, about gender-neutral right-on fads. This is not about asylum seekers or against racism in defense of immigrants or about Bolivia or Venezuela or against France’s dismal colonial record or current French wars in Africa. This is about the French working-class confronting the capitalist system, head-on, and with real red blood in the streets. French workers black and (overwhelmingly) white, gay and (overwhelmingly) straight, men and women, self-identifying only as workers tired of being robbed. It’s all a little too… proletarian for what has become of the “left.”

And so like Nelson before them at the Battle of Copenhagen, they raise the telescope to the blind eye and declare “I see no ships.” The left sees not the French men o’ war, but the French workers can see them. And it is not a belle vue.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 27 Jan 2021 17:47

French President Emmanuel Macron wishes India on 72nd Republic Day:

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 19 Feb 2021 06:26

France Passes Anti-Radicalism Bill That Worries Muslims

Lawmakers in the French parliament’s lower house have overwhelmingly approved a bill that would strengthen oversight of mosques, schools and sports clubs to safeguard France from radical Islamists and to promote respect for French values.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/artic ... es-muslims

BY ELAINE GANLEY, Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Lawmakers in the French parliament's lower house on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would strengthen oversight of mosques, schools and sports clubs to safeguard France from radical Islamists and to promote respect for French values - one of President Emmanuel Macron's landmark projects.

After two weeks of intense debate, the vote in the National Assembly house was the first critical hurdle for the legislation that has been long in the making. The bill passed 347-151, with 65 abstentions.

With France bloodied by terror attacks, having hundreds of citizens who went to Syria in years past and thousands of French troops now fighting extremists in Mali, few disagree that radicalization is a danger. But critics also see the proposed law as a political ploy to lure the right wing to Macron's centrist party ahead of next year's presidential election.

The wide-ranging bill, titled “Supporting respect for the principles of the Republic,” covers most aspects of French life. It has been hotly contested by some Muslims, lawmakers and others who fear the state is intruding on essential freedoms and pointing a finger at Islam, the nation's No. 2 religion. Where have we seen this frothing-at-the-mouth display of entitlement and rampant victim-card exhibition before?

But the legislation breezed through a chamber in which Macron's party has a majority. It is not set to go to the conservative-controlled Senate until March 30, but final passage is seen as all but assured.

The bill gained added urgency after a teacher was beheaded outside Paris in October and three people were killed during a knife attack at a Nice basilica the same month.

A section that makes it a crime to knowingly endanger the life of a person by providing details of their private life and location is known as the ‘’Paty law." It was named for Samuel Paty, the teacher who was killed outside his school after information about where he taught was posted online in a video. Law: "it is now illegal to provide details of a person's private life and location with the goal of endangering his or her life". Islamists: "This is discrimination against Muslims." This is as perverse as the rabid anti-CAA hatemongering.

The bill bolsters other French efforts to fight extremism, mainly security-based.

Detractors say the measures are already covered in current laws. Some voice suspicions about a hidden political agenda.

Days before Tuesday's vote, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin - the bill's main sponsor - accused far-right leader Marine Le Pen during a nationally televised debate of being “soft" on radical Islam, saying she needs to take vitamins.

The remark was intended to portray the government as tougher than the far-right in tackling Islamic extremists. But Le Pen criticized the bill as too weak and offered what she called her own, tougher counter-proposal. Le Pen, who has declared her presidential candidacy for the 2022 election, lost in the 2017 runoff against Macron.

Jordan Bardella, vice president of Le Pen's National Rally party. said on BFM TV that the legislation approved Tuesday “misses its target” because it doesn’t attack radical Islamist ideology head-on. Excellent. This is how public debate should be controlled-- the mainstream ruling party shifts discourse to the right and a strong section of the opposition demands that it is not far enough to the right.

The bill mentions neither Muslims nor Islam by name. Neither does CAA-- but that too is somehow a "religious test that discriminates against Muslims". Supporters say it is aimed at snuffing out what the government describes as an encroaching fundamentalism that is subverting French values, notably the nation's foundational value of secularism and gender equality.

The measure has been dubbed the "separatism" bill, a term used by Macron to refer to radicals who would create a “counter society” in France.

Top representatives of all religions were consulted as the text was drafted. The government's leading Muslim conduit, the French Council for the Muslim Faith, gave its backing.

Ghaleb Bencheikh, head of the Foundation for Islam of France, a secular body seeking a progressive Islam, said in a recent interview that the planned law was “unjust but necessary” to fight radicalization.

Among other provisions, the bill would ban virginity certificates and crack down on polygamy and forced marriage, practices not formally attached to a religion. Critics say those and other provisions are already covered in existing laws.

It would also ensure that children attend regular school starting at age 3, a way to target home schools where ideology is taught, and provide for training all public employees in secularism. Anyone who threatens a public employee risks a prison sentence. In another reference to Paty, the slain teacher, the bill obligates the bosses of a public employee who has been threatened to take action, if the employee agrees.

The bill introduces mechanisms to guarantee that mosques and associations that run them are not under the sway of foreign interests or homegrown Salafists with a rigorous interpretation of Islam.

Associations must sign a contract of respect for French values and pay back state funds, if they cross a line. Police officers and prison employees must take an oath swearing to respect the nation’s values and the constitution. How "Islamophobic can you get?

To accommodate changes, the bill adjusts France's 1905 law guaranteeing separation of church and state.

Some Muslims said they sensed a climate of suspicion.

“There's confusion... A Muslim is a Muslim and that's all,” taxi driver Bahri Ayari said after worshipping at midday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Paris.

“We talk about radicals, about I don't know what," he said. “There is a book. There is a prophet. The prophet has taught us.”

As for convicted radicals, he said, their crimes "get put on the back of Islam. That's not what a Muslim is.”

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 15 May 2021 07:41

https://thediplomat.com/2021/05/india-f ... c-synergy/
India-France Naval Exercise: Growing Strategic Synergy
France has emerged as one of India’s closest strategic partners and the relationship is likely to bloom further in the coming years.
Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, May 13, 2021
Two weeks ago, the Indian and French navies conducted a three-day (April 25-27) bilateral naval exercise. The exercise was part of the annual series of bilateral exercises between the Indian and French militaries that have the stated goal of upholding the rules-based order and promoting a stable maritime security order in the Indo-Pacific. Varuna 2021 was the 19th edition of this series of exercises. France has remained one of India’s strongest strategic partners and given the growing security challenges India faces in its immediate neighborhood and in the Indo-Pacific, it is likely that there will be further enhancement of this partnership.
An Indian Ministry of Defense statement on the Varuna 2021 exercises stated that “the three-day Varuna [exercises] will see high tempo-naval operations at sea, including advanced air defense and anti-submarines exercises, intense fixed and rotary wing flying operations including cross deck helicopter landings, tactical maneuvers, surface and anti-air weapon firings, underway replenishment and other maritime security operations.” The exercise comes against the backdrop of the Quad plus France naval exercise that took place in the Bay of Bengal earlier in April. Along with the Quad countries, France remains a key Indo-Pacific power with an important presence and influence in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad plus France exercise was a significant opportunity to demonstrate the naval strength that these five key naval powers bring to the maritime spaces in the Indo-Pacific. Commenting on the Quad plus exercise, Rear Admiral Jean-Mathieu Rey, the joint commander of French armed forces in the Asia-Pacific, said that “Such exercises are excellent opportunities for our respective units to train together, with the intention to heighten the level of our bilateral and multilateral partnerships and to demonstrate our ability to operate together in the area.”
France’s military presence in the Indian Ocean is significant, with facilities in the island of La Réunion, Mayotte, and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. India and France signed a military logistics agreement in 2018, which gives reciprocal access to each other’s military facilities. With that agreement in hand, India can be expected to widen its strategic outreach in the Indian Ocean. This will enhance India’s overall naval capacity, especially in the western Indian Ocean.
A French Embassy statement said “The ‘Varuna’ joint exercise is part of the French carrier strike group’s ‘CLEMENCEAU 21’ deployment, which the French Navy is conducting from February to June 2021 in the eastern Mediterranean, the Gulf and the Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea). Its goal is to contribute to the stabilization of these strategic zones and strengthening cooperation with the navies of partner countries, in particular India for the Indian Ocean component.”
.....
Gautam

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 16 May 2021 03:40

rsingh wrote:“The French are not Islamophobic, but radical Islam is scary.”

I am sure Macron will be tested very soon.

Quoting my old post from 2017.............so true