Courtesy: Ciel et Terre
India and France have been actively working together to solve various sustainability issues from renewable energy generation to the blue economy and biodiversity conservation. There is so much more to do bilaterally with climate finance and urban sustainability, and multilaterally with the G20. All the ingredients are in place for a robust climate partnership.
Courtesy: BNP Paribas
The Anglo-French commercial treaty of 1860 opened trade between France and Bombay, and brought two iconic French companies – a shipping line and the city’s first European bank. Bombay’s affluent residents were already familiar with French fashion, luxury goods, wines and liqueurs.
Courtesy: S. Jaishankar/Twitter
India and France have common interests bilaterally and multilaterally, and these are increasingly forging together. India must now step up its commitments to trade, technology and defence, all areas where France has an expertise and can make a greater contribution as India’s old allies like Russia become vulnerable.
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Three hundred years ago, the Anglo-French rivalry in Europe spilled over to India, and threatened the dissolution of the powerful Bombay Presidency. Three centuries later, India and France are in a different place, with economic ties blossoming and the bilateral upgrading in 1998 into a strategic relationship. The speed with which this has scaled up reflects the deep familiarity between the two nations rooted in colonial history.
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Concerns of global supply chains being overdependent on China has shifted the focus to India. This became clear in 2021 when Australia, Japan and India together launched the Resilient Supply Chain Initiative. India must now leverage its unique position in the Indo-Pacific region by incorporating well-planned industrial clusters and models.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The election in Uttar Pradesh is more important than usual. It is viewed as a preliminary indicator for the mood of the country, a lead-up to the national elections of 2024. UP is said to decide the leader of India: whoever wins UP, wins India. The stakes have always been high for a win in UP, for all of the contesting political parties and ideologies.
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In the last two decades, there have been three India-Africa summits, a testament to the growth of bilateral relations. Rajiv Bhatia's book, India-Africa Relations: Changing Horizons, highlights Africa’s emergence as a global powerhouse, with several countries vying for a stake in the region. India’s unique political and economic development model appeals to the African, and can be used to forge an enduring relationship with the continent.
Courtesy: Gateway House
On February 17, India launched the Green Hydrogen Policy which facilitates the production of hydrogen and ammonia to replace fossil fuels. Produced from water by electrolysis, green hydrogen offers a way to store renewable energy in bulk. This paper analyses the viability of green hydrogen in India as a vehicle fuel and industrial gas, and makes recommendations for the usage of this clean energy source by companies, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers.
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A shift is taking place in the business of global dominance and hegemony, from the model of expressing force through troop presence to financial sanctions. But China and Russia, in concert, may provide a way out of the sanctions regime.
Courtesy: Sri Lanka Guardian
2022 marks 35 years since the Indian Peace Keeping Forces were deployed to oversee the Indo-Sri Lankan Peace Accord. An attempt to diffuse civil unrest, this engagement eventually turned into war. The incident serves as a reminder that India can learn more from its errors than its victories.