PARIS, October 15 — High-level diplomatic and defence delegations from India and France on Wednesday concluded the 37th annual session of the India-France Strategic Dialogue in Paris, finalizing a comprehensive bilateral roadmap to reinforce Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and defense co-development across the wider Indo-Pacific.
Led by India's National Security Advisor and the Diplomatic Advisor to the French President, the deliberations finalized operational modalities for coordinated naval patrols in the South-Western Indian Ocean, trilateral maritime frameworks involving regional partners, joint co-design of advanced 110 kN fighter aircraft turbofan engines with Safran, and collaborative R&D on civil Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
The Ministry of External Affairs affirmed that the bilateral engagement deepens the long-term bilateral vision outlined in the 'Horizon 2047' pact, demonstrating shared convergence toward preserving multi-polar stability, strategic autonomy, and freedom of navigation within international waters.
The evolution of the India-France Strategic Partnership (inaugurated in 1998 as India's first strategic partnership post-Pokhran-II), the joint founding of the International Solar Alliance (COP21 Paris 2015), the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and major bilateral defence procurements (Rafale, Scorpene/Kalvari submarines) are standard topics across UPSC Civil Services (GS-II: International Relations) and State PCS exams.