
NEW DELHI: In an important move towards strengthening bilateral ties, India and France have agreed to a joint assessment of maritime security threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
In a joint declaration, the two said, "India and France agreed to develop a joint assessment of the threats to maritime security in the region; to counter illicit maritime activities, including piracy and armed robbery, maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fishing, hybrid as well as cyber security threats, and marine pollution."
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday said that the decision was taken during the 7th India-France Maritime Cooperation Dialogue, which was held in New Delhi on 14 January 2025.
"It was co-chaired by Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor, National Security Council Secretariat, India, and Ms. Alice Rufo, Director General for International Relations and Strategy, Ministry for the Armed Forces, France," the MEA said.
During the dialogue, both sides discussed enhancing their cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and reaffirmed their shared vision for maritime security, a key element of the India-France Strategic Partnership.
India and France reiterated their strong commitment to upholding international law, supporting multilateralism, including through regional organisations, respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protecting freedom of navigation.
Both sides agreed to strengthen existing mechanisms of cooperation, such as the implementation of the agreed framework for the exchange of information through enhanced information exchange between the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram, the Regional Coordination Operations Centre, Seychelles, and the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre, Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean Region.
They also agreed to explore opportunities for coordinated surveillance whilst deployed to counter threats to maritime security in the region.
India and France committed to mutually supporting each other in maritime security engagements and constructs.
In an important move, as reported first by TNIE earlier, France was the first country to send the first international liaison officer with a mandate to work as a bridge between the functioning of the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region and it.
Recalling their vision for a free and open Indian Ocean Region, first expressed in the 'Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region' in 2018, India and France agreed to support free and secure access to sea lanes of communications through collaboration between their maritime assets and organisations.
"France welcomed the participation of the Indian Navy in the Combined Maritime Forces and looks forward to India's leadership of the appropriate Combined Task Forces," added the MEA.
As part of their joint commitment towards the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of oceans, India and France also agreed to preserve marine resources in the Indian Ocean Region through the United Nations Ocean Conference. Both countries welcomed the progress made on biodiversity and the blue economy during the last bilateral dialogue on blue economy and ocean governance, and agreed to pursue cooperation at the regional level, as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.