Relationship dossier
France
India
Relationship assessment
A long-running strategic partnership built around defense, nuclear energy, space, and Indo-Pacific cooperation
France toward India
+65France has supplied India with major defense systems, including Rafale aircraft and Scorpène submarines, and conducts joint naval exercises with India. The two governments have also pursued civil nuclear cooperation and developed strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
India toward France
+65India has procured major French defense systems, including Rafale aircraft and Scorpène submarines, and participates in joint naval exercises with France. The governments have developed civil nuclear and Indo-Pacific cooperation through their strategic partnership.
Overall relationship
+65The relationship is anchored by a strategic partnership dating from 1998 and sustained cooperation in defense, nuclear energy, space, and the Indo-Pacific. Major defense projects and recurring military cooperation make the partnership concrete and durable. The Jaitapur nuclear project illustrates that implementation can be slow, but it does not outweigh the broader pattern of cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
France and India maintain a long-running strategic partnership encompassing defense, civil nuclear energy, space, and Indo-Pacific cooperation. Concrete ties include major French defense sales to India, joint naval exercises, and a civil nuclear cooperation agreement. Cooperation is substantial, although the planned Jaitapur nuclear power project has faced prolonged delays.
Areas of tension
- Prolonged delays and unresolved implementation questions surrounding the planned Jaitapur nuclear power project.
Key developments
France and India established a strategic partnership, creating a framework for expanded cooperation.
The governments concluded a civil nuclear cooperation agreement.
India procured French Rafale aircraft and Scorpène submarines, deepening defense-industrial ties.
France and India developed recurring joint naval exercises, including Varuna.
Major uncertainties
- The timeline and eventual scope of the Jaitapur nuclear power project remain unclear.
- The extent to which announced Indo-Pacific cooperation will produce additional joint activity is uncertain.