French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain: PM Modi's visit strengthens unparalleled alliance

French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain has termed the upcoming visit of Indian PM Modi to France as "significant" even as he described India France relationship as an "exceptional relationship based on trust". PM Modi is the guest of honour at the Bastille Day on July 14. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, he said, "We also want to increase existing cooperation; we want more and more people-to-people exchanges because we feel that's the foundation of it and we want more students from India to our Universities and Colleges.'. he also spoke on space, defence, people to people cooperation."

WION: How do you see this visit of Indian PM Narendra Modi to France?
Emmanuel Lenain: Very significant, it's a rare occasion, Indian PM Modi is the Guest of Honour. This year for the 25th-anniversary strategic partnership we wanted to have Indian troops and Rafael in the sky to show the strength of this partnership.

WION: How will you characterise the relationship between India and France? It's a very substantive relationship and we have seen engagement in almost every sector including Defense and Education.
Emmanuel Lenain: Exceptional relationship based on trust and it's been for decades. It's an all-time partnership. There's been some good times and for the two countries there have been some challenges. For each time there have been challenges the other partner was standing at our side and helping. There are numerous examples in our history. The nuclear test, we have issues of security at our borders, in the UN we were there and you did reciprocate each time we needed support and as an Ambassador I know how India was instrumental and generous with medical drugs which we direly needed of French hospitals and people are grateful for that.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

WION: Also France supported India when it suffered through the second wave.
Emmanuel Lenain: During the second wave we brought some container boxes and we also brought oxygen generators each of them providing oxygen for 200-bed hospitals.

WION: What kind of outcome are we expecting from the visit of the Indian PM? Defence is something that is a key pillar of this relationship. Are we expecting some kind of announcement on India procuring some kind of French assets?
Emmanuel Lenain: Well the most important outcome is to draft a map for the cooperation between our two countries, we have a great partnership but we want to open new cooperation, we want to develop more technologies to give more technologies. We also want to increase existing cooperation; we want more and more people-to-people exchanges because we feel that's the foundation of it and we want more students from India to our Universities and Colleges. We want more Indian students to learn French. Now already more than 600000. We want more and more companies from both countries investing in the other country to provide prosperity.

WION: Deeper cooperation, now let's go into the various pillars of this relationship. Let's start with counter-terrorism. India and France have engaged at several levels including the UNSC where both countries have jointly put out names for designation. So, if you can elaborate counter-terror operations have been going on between the two countries.
Emmanuel Lenain: Well our two countries have faced terrorism and the countries have been deeply hurt and this is made us exceptional partners in the fight against terrorism. Elite Unite, black cats in India, and the NSG are training with the assistance institution in my country. We share a lot of info/intelligence to fight against terrorism and as you said all the International bodies, we also are partners. The UN, the UNSC and we want to see more and as you know that we support the permanent membership for India in UNSC but conferences that we have initiated to tackle the financing of terrorism 'no money for terror'. The first conference in Paris and India accepted to take the initiative to take over the conference and is promoting a permanent secretary for this institution which has yielded amazing results.

WION: We saw this week a dialogue happening on space and its name is the first India-France Strategic Space Dialogue, if you can elaborate.
Emmanuel Lenain: India and France have been outstanding partners in space for six decades. ISRO and CNES have been jointly working on different technologies. The satellite for climate observation have been all launched on our launchers and they are undergoing cooperation and as you know France is partnering to support an important venture which involves a space flight that will take place very soon and we're providing some instruments, we're also providing some physical training for your astronauts. This is very important. We are also thinking to work on some technologies and some projects and I'm sure there will be some announcements.

WION: Nuclear Cooperation, France was perhaps the only country which supported India when we were being sanctioned in 1998 after the tests. It has been very supportive. When it comes to the Jaitapur Power Plant project what kind of update you have, we saw there was some meeting as well last year. Anything constructive you're looking forward to?
Emmanuel Lenain: The Civil Nuclear, let's be very clear. I mean the project is top priority. The world is amazed by the commitments made by India to foster to speed up the energy transition, the investment in renewable energy is amazing, is massive, we are all impressed and French companies are taking part in that, right now around 10% of the capacity of Solar Energy in India, thanks to French companies. But we also know now that all our counties have faced it, we have to check the base low of the energy mix to get out of the cold obviously nuclear is the key. As you know in my country 80% of energy is provided by Nuclear Energy and we have the cheapest electricity in Europe, that's why we would like to share this technology with India. A project to build a Nuclear Reactor in Jaipur has been discussed for a few years and hope it will come to final conclusion.

WION: Moving on to Indo-Pacific, France is seen as a resident power in the Indo-Pacific.
Emmanuel Lenain: It is, we are India's neighbour.

WION: Yes, you're India's neighbour it is well known. So, in the Indo-Pacific what kind of cooperation India and France are looking forward to because this is a region where substantial trade passes through, this region has also seen lots of geopolitical contestations, especially by the Chinese.
Emmanuel Lenain: Well we have a lot to do in common, I mean we have the same values attached to the Freedom of Navigation, Rule of Law, to enclose and also, we have the same global approach and we are not confrontational but we are committed but we consistently want to be comprehensive so we do a lot. We share information, we have a liaison officer, the situation centres share information, navies are working together and our bases are also used by your forces we also want to go forward and also to improve connectivity in the region and also with the EU, global gateway project and also to jointly provide development assistance so that the countries that want to develop in the region, it's real needed, it can do so with no strings attached and which will promote some projects which are sustainable financially and also fund the environment also clean transparency.

WION: Lots of things in the Indo-Pacific but this is a region where there are a lot of geopolitical contestations as well India has been facing the problem of aggressive China. How do you see how France is supporting India in terms of the problem India is facing with its neighbouring country?
Emmanuel Lenain: Always stand for respect for territorial integrity, the sovereignty of the countries and for the principle enshrined in the UN Charter. As your Prime Minister said, This is not the era of war.

WION: So my last question to you is that there have been several tri-laterals where we have seen France and India being the common denominators. We have with the UAE; we have with other countries. What's the focus like I mean, what's the outcome like what are we planning at?
Emmanuel Lenain: To uphold our values in the Indo-Pacific given the magnitude of the challenges, there won't be too much or too many countries of goodwill. So, it's very important to be pragmatic and to work with companies which are willing to provide positive assistance to the region. We've been initiating cooperation with other countries like the UAE with Australia. And we shall continue to do so maybe one day will do so with like Indonesia and all the like-minded to promote the values we are deeply attached to.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.