India, France to bolster counter-terror steps

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, July 15

Defence and security were the focus areas during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France and the road map for bilateral ties over the next 25 years ‘Horizon 25’ also promises to sharpen India’s counter-terrorism techniques, promote ties in advanced digital technologies and skilled people and bring a taste of the famed French culture to the country.

In order to “stay ahead of the evolving threat”, National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) of France formalised cooperation through a Letter of Intent in the field of counter-terrorism.

“An important area of cooperation on internal security is the effective use of technology by internal security agencies of both countries,” noted the document, which hinted at India utilising some more cutting-edge French surveillance and tracking technologies for insurgency-hit areas.

Future cooperation in defence still remains halting and is not a settled issue. The ‘Horizon 2047’ documents initially uploaded by MEA “welcomed the MoU between Mazagon Dockyard and Naval Group for the construction of three additional submarines under the P 75 programme”. This was scrubbed out in the reloaded document.

In other areas mentioned in the document — industrial cooperation for motorisation of heavy-lift helicopters will have to await a road map, contract is in final stages for transfer of engine technology by Safran Helicopters and collaboration in the field of surface ships is at the MoU stage. The two sides made no mention of the contract to buy naval planes. The announcement was made by the company.

The document promises to provide the benefit of French experience of major cultural projects, particularly the Grand Louvre. The Grand Louvre’s retrofitting, despite being a heritage building, is intended to be an appropriate case study for the “National Museum of lndia” project. Its architects and planners will be looking at the Grand Louvre’s provisioning for display, storage and exhibition of archaeological antiquities, paintings and decorative arts.

Though Indians struggle with visitor visas, France has promised to be more welcoming to Indians who have studied in France for at least one semester. It will issue five-year validity Schengen visas provided that they have reached Master degree level at a France-recognised university.

It also reaffirms visas to 20,000 Indian students by 2025 and 30,000 in 2030.

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