Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
A New Awareness
The visit of President Mitterrand to India in 1989 brought no dramatic
breakthrough, but it helped to reaffirm a shared goodwill, which offered the basis
for a more sustained dialogue. In 1992 Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao
visited France, and discussed the economic reforms he was implementing, as
well as India's concerns regarding the new world order heralded after the 1991
Gulf War. He called for investment, cooperation in nuclear energy, space and oil
research, and drew attention to the issue of terrorism.
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In 1994 Alain Juppé, French Minister for External Affairs came to India, and
defined the French agenda: to restart the political dialogue and to develop the
economic relationship. Both countries could build up on what had already been
achieved. Politically, New Delhi and Paris were always keen to remember that
France and India were democracies sharing affinities, if only their past common
unhappiness with the sharp divide of the Cold War years and their concern for
North-South relations.
Economically, though more could be done, at least France had secured a
noticeable market both in civil aviation and defence (in 1994, 40 Airbus and 49
Mirage aircraft were flying in India). Even though Indo-French interests or
policies diverged in several areas, for instance the French position favoring the
extension of the NPT; the decision to stop the delivery of enriched uranium to
Tarapur nuclear plant;
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or commercial litigations opposing Indian and French
trade partners on energy projects;
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such differences would not hamper, said the
Minister, the willingness to give 'a new push' to political and economic bilateral
relations.
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Four years later, the situation had somehow improved. In 1997 India could
boast over her highest-ever growth rate (7 per cent). The Third Front Government
in power after the 1996 elections showed that the process of reform, if not greatly
accelerated, was at least not subjected to political changes at the top. By then, a
regular dialogue had been established between the Confederation of Indian
Industries and its French counterpart, the Confédération Nationale du Patronat
Français (now renamed as Mouvement des Entreprises de France or MEDEF).
At the diplomatic and strategic level, Paris was also duly taking note of India's
new assertiveness, particularly voiced during the debates which ended with her
rejection of the NPT in 1995 and her rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty (CTBT) in 1996.
People in power probably played a positive role as well. Alain Juppé, as Minister
of Foreign Affairs, happened to have for key aides two career diplomats who had
been posted in New Delhi: Dominique de Villepin, as Cabinet Chief, and
Maurice Gourdon-Montagne as Deputy Chief. When Juppé became Prime
Minister in 1995, Gourdon-Montagne took over as Cabinet Chief, while
