By Rahul Dixit
Even as they sipped ‘masala chai’ in the Pink City on the eve of India’s 75th Republic Day, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and France President Mr. Emmanuel Macron raised their bonhomie to another level with a signal to the international powers that New Delhi and Paris would always back each other in a fast-evolving world with no permanent friends. The road show in Jaipur further established the growing warmth between India and France which definitely goes way beyond the traditional framework of bilateral ties.
By having Mr. Macron as the first French President to become chief guest of the Republic Day twice, Mr. Modi has announced to the world the growing trust between the two countries which share historical relations. Last year Mr. Modi was the chief guest at the prestigious Bastille Day military parade in France which earmarked shared responsibilities between the two nations in a jittery world full of raging conflicts in various corners. Mr. Macron’s visit cannot be treated just as a top leader attending the Republic Day parade. It was a well-crafted diplomatic step to send a message across international spectrums that both India and France have each other’s back in the atmosphere of rising tensions.
Both the leaders chose critical subjects to deliberate upon including the Israel-Hamas war, turmoil in the Red Sea and also collaboration in key sectors like defence, maritime, technology and artificial intelligence. All these are indicators that second-tier powers, focussed on growing together, can carve a place for themselves in a world driven by multi-alignment approach.
The Indo-France relations have steadily grown in power and significance as the two emerging economies have transcended beyond the limited scope of defence ties and forayed into a domain where people-to-people connect and use of ethical technological expertise get precedence in forging long-term partnerships. After all, mutual trust is a prerequisite in shaping a new world order.
(The Hitavada)
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