Indian PM holds talks with French President as dispute rages among France, US & Australia

New Delhi: – Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders are said to have discussed developments in the Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan. France has lost $40 billion worth of submarine contracts with Australia due to the AUKUS cooperation between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. After this, agitated France even recalled its ambassadors to Australia and the United States. Against this background, this discussion between the President of France and the Prime Minister of India becomes strategically important.

AUKUS cooperation was announced between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. This is a tripartite military cooperation agreement and in the face of the threat posed by China to Australia, the importance of this cooperation increases tremendously. Over the past few months, disputes between Australia and China have festered; the two countries are making decisions to deliver jolts to each other. This has affected trade between the two countries. It is claimed that this trade war could soon culminate into a real war. Against this background, AUKUS cooperation is of paramount importance to Australia. Australia cancelled a deal worth nearly $40 billion to buy submarines from France. Instead, Australia will now buy nuclear submarines from the United States.

France was outraged by the Australian decision and recalled its ambassadors to Australia and the United States. There are also indications that France is preparing to teach a lesson to the United States and Australia, with assistance from the European Union. Under such circumstances, French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with Prime Minister Modi. The Prime Minister of India is leaving for the United States to participate in the UN General Assembly. During the visit, he will hold bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden. After that, the heads of state of QUAD countries, India, USA, Japan and Australia, will hold discussions. Prime Minister Modi‘s discussion with the President of France before this visit is noteworthy. Not all the details of the discussion have come to light yet. However, it is said that the two leaders discussed the issue of the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the situation in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, it is becoming clear that France, hurt by the United States and Australia, will be more aggressive to strengthen its cooperation with India. India and France have already developed a strategic partnership. But as per claims made by certain people, France could go even further and provide India with state-of-the-art defence technology in the future. Analysts have expressed concerns that the French dispute with the United States and Australia could adversely affect the tripartite cooperation between India-France-Australia.