Speaker Vasudev Devnani's France Visit Enhances Indo-French Relations
By Gopendra Nath Bhatt
New Delhi/Jaipur, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani has emphasized that the long-standing and multi-dimensional strategic relationship between India and France has nurtured the values of freedom, equality, and fraternity in both nations.
During his visit to Paris, the capital of the French Republic in Western Europe, Devnani toured key parliamentary and administrative institutions. He also observed the functioning of the French National Assembly and took insights into the country's 551,695 sq. km territory, its multicultural society, and its diverse sectors.
On this occasion, Devnani held formal discussions with senior members of the French National Assembly, including Thierry Tan, Chair of the India-France Friendship Group. Devnani conveyed that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar have consistently called for unified global cooperation against terrorism and the need for joint counter-terrorism strategies.
Referring to PM Modi’s France visit from 10–12 February, Devnani informed that ten MoUs were signed covering key areas like nuclear energy and artificial intelligence.
Highlighting growing educational ties, Devnani mentioned that over 10,000 Indian students are currently studying in France, and this number is set to increase to 30,000 under a new agreement between the two nations.
During an in-depth dialogue with the India-France Parliamentary Friendship Group Chair, discussions centered around bilateral strategic cooperation, counter-terrorism strategies, digital technology, smart cities, cultural exchange, environment, education, nuclear energy, and modular reactors.
Devnani stated that the strategic partnership, established in 1998, has now matured into a robust, multi-sectoral cooperation covering defense, cyber security, nuclear energy, space science, and counter-terrorism.
He also highlighted India’s new agreement with France for the procurement of 26 Rafale fighter jets, scheduled for April 2025, as a testament to the ever-strengthening defense ties. Joint military exercises held regularly in France were recognized as key in enhancing combined operational capabilities.
Devnani pointed out that MoUs on smart cities, the Indo-Pacific corridor, environmental change (INS, ISA, CDRI), startups, and digital sciences reflect India's globally recognized technology-driven development agenda. He particularly emphasized collaborative efforts in AI and small modular reactors as essential for green energy and future energy security.
Discussing educational and cultural ties, he drew a parallel between the 1789 French Revolution’s core values—liberty, equality, and fraternity—and India’s freedom movement and constitutional legacy, calling it a shared heritage.
Devnani’s visit was not only a representation of Rajasthan’s cultural pride and India’s democratic ethos but also a meaningful step toward energizing and enriching Indo-French bilateral relations.
He also studied France’s demographic composition, which includes native French citizens alongside North African, Sub-Saharan African, Asian, and other European communities. Devnani appreciated France’s constitutional commitment to secularism and harmony among religions such as Christianity (primarily Roman Catholicism), Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and an increasingly secular population.
By analyzing the functioning of France’s semi-presidential system—where the President is directly elected, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President, and the bicameral parliament consists of the Senate and National Assembly—Devnani gained valuable insights.
France’s Napoleonic Civil Code-based judicial system and its free, fair, and multiparty electoral framework were acknowledged by Devnani as inspirational models for Rajasthan and India’s democratic traditions.
During the visit, Devnani also engaged with French lawmakers, academics, and the Indian diaspora to chart new directions in Indo-French strategic cooperation, especially in education, science, technology, and parliamentary exchanges.
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