On a sunny dock in Bombay, a French military frigate deployed in the Indian Ocean refueled at an Indian military port, a stopover made possible by increasing collaboration between France and India in the maritime space where China is advancing its pawns.
A logistics cooperation agreement signed last year between Paris and New Delhi gives their armed forces reciprocal access to their military bases. The significant relaxation is intended to strengthen the navies of both powers in the Great Indian Ocean Game, an important axis of international trade.
For a fleet, being able to stop at a foreign naval base offers clear advantages. This logistical support “certainly increases the projection capacity of French forces, because it allows them to have greater endurance, or allows them to have a more central point of support in an area,” Mackara Ouk, commander of the anti-aircraft force, told AFP. Cassard frigate docked this week in Bombay.
Arriving from the Persian Gulf after escorting an American aircraft carrier, the heavily armed ship with a crew of around 240 men prepared to depart for the Arabian Peninsula, after stockpiling diesel and food.
Within a base, “there are often special features of military buildings that are well understood by other navies and that are not always taken into account by civilian ports,” said commander Cassard, who wore a traditional white uniform.
Stretching from South Asia to Antarctica, from Africa to Australia, the Indian Ocean increasingly has geostrategic influence as the center of gravity of the global economy shifts towards Asia in the 21st century.
“The Indian Ocean accounts for 25% of global maritime traffic and 75% of EU exports. Being able to guarantee freedom of navigation in this region, with a partner like India, is extremely important,” said Alexandre Ziegler, French ambassador to India.
Race to the base
Due to its geographical exposure, India has always enjoyed a dominant position in this ocean. However, this advantage is currently being eroded by China's increasingly assertive presence, whether through the deployment of ships and submarines or the development of commercial, infrastructure and also – to a lesser extent – military networks.
China notably opened its first overseas military base, in Djibouti. The company is also developing a major port in Gwadar, Pakistan, and has secured a 99-year concession for the port of Hambantota, Sri Lanka. A flurry of activity that gave rise, in the corridors of power in New Delhi, to fears of a progressive siege.
“India is less concerned about China's growing interests in the Indian Ocean and France has also expressed unease about the impact of China's presence in the western Indian Ocean,” located in French overseas territories such as Reunion or Mayotte, said Isabelle Saint-Mézard, a geopolitical researcher South Asia.
India, which has long been preoccupied with continental security issues, has stepped up its maritime diplomacy in recent years. The Franco-Indian cooperation is part of a wider network of alliances built by the South Asian giant to strengthen its presence in waters covering nearly a fifth of the world.
Through a series of recent agreements with the United States, Singapore, Oman and India, India is “establishing a network of bases accessible to India throughout the Indian Ocean,” Ms. Saint-Mézard said.
For Darshana Baruah, an analyst at Carnegie India, who specializes in maritime security, New Delhi's goal “is not to compete with China but to be able to protect and secure its strategic interests and remain a leading power in the Indian Ocean region.
01/25/2019 09:30:22 – Bombay (AFP) – © 2019 AFP
