India, France, UAE Trilateral Initiative

• 06 Feb 2023

For Prelims: India, France, United Arab Emirates, Nuclear Energy, Solar Energy, Climate Change, World Health Organization, Gavi-the Vaccine Alliance, Exercise Shakti (Army), Exercise Varuna (Navy), Exercise Garuda (Air Force), International Solar Alliance, VIRAL (Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker).

For Mains: Major Highlights of the Trilateral Initiative, India France Relations, India UAE Relations.

Why in News?

Recently, India, France, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to form a partnership to work together in the fields of nuclear and solar energy, as well as in tackling climate change and preserving biodiversity.

• The idea of this partnership was first discussed at a meeting in New York during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2022.

What Are the Major Highlights of the Trilateral Initiative?

• This trilateral initiative will serve as a forum to promote the design and execution of cooperation projects in the fields of energy, with a focus on solar and nuclear energy, as well as in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity, particularly in the Indian Ocean region.
• The three countries have also agreed to work together in defence, countering infectious diseases, and promoting cooperation in global health organisations such as the World Health Organization, Gavi-the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, and Unitaid.
• Further, the three countries will attempt to identify tangible cooperation on implementing the “One Health” approach, and support the development of local capacities in biomedical innovation and production within developing countries.
• The three countries also agreed to expand their cooperation through initiatives such as the Mangrove Alliance for Climate led by the UAE and the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership led by India and France.

What are the Other Areas of Cooperation between India and France?

• Defence Cooperation:
  • The three services of both countries have regular defence exercises; viz.
    • Exercise Shakti (Army)
    • Exercise Varuna (Navy)
    • Exercise Garuda (Air Force)
  • India entered into a contract with a French firm to build six Scorpene submarines in India’s Malegaon dockyards through a technology-transfer arrangement in 2005.
  • Also, India and France had signed the inter-government agreement in 2016, under which France agreed to provide 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around 60,000 crore rupees to India.
• Other Initiatives:
  • India and France are in joint efforts to limit climate change and develop the International Solar Alliance.
  • France has agreed to be part of India's Venus mission, scheduled for 2025.
    • Also, ISRO’s Venus instrument, VIRAL (Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker) has been co-developed by French and Russian agencies.

What are the Other Areas of Cooperation between India and UAE?

• Collaboration: They both are the members of I2U2 Grouping.
• Economic Partnership: In 2022 India & UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with an aim of taking bilateral trade to USD 100 billion within 5 years.
  • Also, India and UAE are discussing ways to boost non-oil commerce in rupees that will promote internationalisation of rupees.
  • UAE is the second largest export destination of India (after the US) with an amount of over US$ 28 billion for the year 2021-22.
    • For the UAE, India is the second largest trading partner for the year 2021 with an amount of around USD 45 billion (non-oil trade).
• Defence Cooperation: With the spread of radicalism in the Gulf and South Asia, India looks to enhance security cooperation with the UAE to counter terrorist threats and combat radicalization.
  • ‘Desert Eagle II’, is a joint air combat exercise, between air forces of India and UAE.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements: (2016)

1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.
2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

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Mains

Q. How will I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE and USA) grouping transform India's position in global politics? (2022)

Source: TH