International Relations GS 2 In the news 12 times

India-France Strategic Partnership

India and France have one of India's deepest and most comprehensive bilateral defence relationships, built on strategic autonomy and shared geopolitical interests.

Key details

India-France Strategic Partnership established in 1998; elevated to Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2023 during PM Modi's state visit to France.
Cornerstone defence deals: Rafale fighter aircraft (36 jets under inter-governmental agreement signed in 2016, delivered 2020-22); P-75 submarine programme (6 Scorpene-class submarines under Project-75; the sixth — INS Vagsheer — was commissioned in January 2025).
Horizon 2047 Roadmap (adopted 2023): Sets goals for deeper defence-industrial cooperation, space collaboration, civil nuclear energy, and digital governance.
France's Indo-Pacific Strategy aligns with India's interests in maintaining freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean; France has territories in the Indian Ocean (Réunion, Mayotte) and the Pacific (New Caledonia, French Polynesia).
TASL-Airbus collaboration is part of the industrial dimension of the India-France partnership — French defence firms (Thales, Safran, Naval Group, Airbus) are major suppliers to India's defence modernisation.
India-France joint exercises: Exercise Shakti (Army), Exercise Varuna (Navy), Exercise Garuda (Air Force).

In the news

● Tracked since February 16, 2026 · last seen July 04, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

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