Context  -

• Recently, the 21st meeting of the India-France Military Sub-Committee (MSC) was concluded.
• The meeting was held on 16-17 October, 2023 at Air Force Station, New Delhi.
• This is an important platform to advance defense cooperation between the two countries.

Main Points -

• During this, the meeting was co-chaired by Air Vice Marshal Ashish Vohra, Assistant Chief of Integrated Staff (Military Cooperation) at Headquarters IDS from the Indian side and Major General Eric Peltier, General Officer International Military Relations of the Joint Staff, from the French side.

Platform established to increase defense cooperation between the two countries -

• India-France MSC is a platform established to advance defense cooperation between the two countries through regular interactions at strategic and operational levels between Headquarters, Integrated Defense Staff and Joint Staff Headquarters of the French Armed Forces.

India-France bilateral defense cooperation-

• India and France enjoy close and friendly relations.
• In 1998, the two countries entered into a strategic partnership, symbolising their similarity of views on a number of international issues in addition to close and growing bilateral relations.
• Defense and security cooperation, space cooperation and civil nuclear cooperation etc. are the main pillars of the strategic partnership between India and France.
• Defense and security cooperation, space cooperation and civil nuclear cooperation etc. are the main pillars of the strategic partnership between India and France.
• Talking about defense cooperation, both the countries have agreed to jointly manufacture major military equipment for friendly third world countries.
• Apart from these areas, India and France are also exploring new areas of cooperation such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, climate change, renewable energy and sustainable growth and development in the Indo-Pacific region.

Important Facts - 

France

• Capital: Paris
• President: Emmanuel Macron
• Prime Minister:Edward Philip
• Official language: French
• Minister of the French Armed Forces: Mr. Sébastien Lecornu