India's relations with France have always been overshadowed by its ties with the UK, on the one hand, and the US, on the other. From all available evidence, this continues to be the case to this day, notwithstanding the promising start to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s two-day visit to Paris. But two significant changes can be discerned since the last official visit of an Indian prime minister to this part of the world seven years ago. One is the new seriousness with which India is searching for an autonomous status as an emerging global power, driven by its own national interest. It does not see its new-found friendship with America contradict in any way its search for allies on this side of the Atlantic. The other, is the new seriousness with which France has come to regard India as a business partner.Inevitably, these two developments shaped the agendas and the soundbites in Paris on Monday. India —notably in the interview Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave to Le Figaro — asserted its right to a viable civil nuclear programme. It wanted France, as one of the world’s leaders in civilian nuclear energy use, to shed past suspicions, go by India’s record in terms of nuclear non-proliferation as well as its unilateral decision to declare a moratorium on tests, and consider seriously the transfer of nuclear technology and equipment to India. There are limits, of course, to how much France can act independently in this regard. During the Sixth India-European Union Summit in New Delhi last week, it was more than clear that the EU is cautious about civilian nuclear energy cooperation. The French have a record of being extremely pragmatic when it comes to their business interests. They have never been shy of using trade to extend diplomatic ties. India can then hope that the cordiality engendered by its purchase of six Scorpene submarines and 43 Airbus aircraft — deals worth more than US$ 5 billion — as well as prospects of enhanced French investment in India, would go some way towards persuading France to argue its case with the EU. The spirit of give and take, it seems, is alive and well in Paris.
