Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
The European Dimension
France is not seen in India as a global military power, but her diplomatic
standing is acknowledged. Besides carrying her P5 status and her defence and
nuclear technologies, France is seen also as having a certain imaginative vision, a
tradition of 'intellectual inquiry',
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manifest in her statements on nuclear issues or
on multipolarity. At both levels, this French vision has identified India as part of
a global equilibrium, more clearly than other European powers have done. After
President Chirac's visit to India, senior journalist K.K.Katyal commented: 'So
far, Germany was the only entry point for India's dealing with the European
Community. Now France becomes another such point.'
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Two years later, the same observer compared India's engagement with each of
the two European countries. He considered that on most points—tests, sanctions,
Security Council membership—'it flowed smoothly and effortlessly from the
French stand on the tests, but as regards Germany, it was the result of persistent
efforts', Bonn, then Berlin, having generally taken a primarily hardened stand.
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While Germany is seen as the economic powerhouse of Europe, sharing with
France the political leadership of the European Union, France appears more
involved in global issues. Among the three most important European countries,
Great Britain is seen in India as being simply aligned with Washington, and
certainly not a model. To quote from the wry but insightful presentation on Indo-
American relations made by Jairam Ramesh in New York in 1999: 'We do not
want to be a Tony Blair who we see as your poodle, but we do want to have a
special relationship with you, on our terms.'
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By these standards, Germany is seen somewhere in between: not a NWS, not a
Security Council permanent member, not as close to Washington as Great Britain
is, but perhaps too close nevertheless—the old NATO legacy. And when
Germany asserts herself and move away from the US, it is partly through the
political empowerment of the Green Party, not exactly happy with India's
nuclearization. By contrast, France offers an image of particular interest: close to
the US, but touchy on her autonomy, looking for recognition as a noted player,
but accepting differences and pleading for multipolarity.
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That said, France is certainly not competing with her neighbors at the cost of
the European idea, far from it. The French administration misses no opportunity
to stress the decisive relevance of the European Union for constructing a new
multipolar order. This intimate conviction is repeatedly conveyed to the
Government of India and to Indian think-tanks. When he received President
Narayanan in Paris in April 2000—the first ever state visit by an Indian
President to France—Jacques Chirac did not dissociate the prospect of India
emerging as 'one of the foremost centres of powers in the world of tomorrow'
from the growing assertiveness of the European Union eager to establish 'the
political means to make (her) voice heard in the concert of nations'. Hence, 'the
