To curb China’s growing ambitions in the South Indian Ocean, French President Emmanuel Macron had announced a trident security partnership with India.
Macron stated that India and France were sharing the analysis of joint maritime security in the southern Indian Ocean, working on joint maritime surveillance in the region and looking at the possible deployment of an Indian Navy maritime patrol vessel in Reunion Island from the first quarter of 2020.
“We must protect the Great Indo-Pacific space for no hegemony to reign. A security presence in the region is essential for building this freedom in sovereignty and for establishing a common agenda.”Macron said in his speech. India, in partnership with France, is keen to focus on port development, blue economy, trade, connectivity, tourism, skill development, hospitality and healthcare in this resource-rich region, said people aware of the matter. India is also eyeing gas deposits in the Mozambique Channel near Vanilla Islands. France is the second Maritime Superpower in the world, second only to the US.
“Based on a shared commitment to maintaining the freedom of navigation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific zone, maritime security cooperation between France and India is a domain of excellence in their strategic partnership,” said the joint statement. India was represented by the minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan at the first such ministerial meet.
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