India-France-UAE Trilateral: India Expands Its Minilateral Legacy

India, France and UAE announced a new trilateral collaboration to work on a variety of issues including defense, technology, and energy in February 2023.

The three countries hope to host a number of events where many of their shared objectives can be advanced during India’s G-20 presidency and the UAE’s projected hosting of COP 28 in 2023. 

The Mangrove Alliance for Climate, led by the UAE, and the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership, led by India and France, are two current venues and programmes that the three nations intend to use to further their cooperative agenda.

Trilateral Agreement Among India, France & UAE

The 3 foreign ministers – S. Jaishankar of India, Catherine Colonna of France, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE convened for the first time in a trilateral arrangement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September of last year.

Read: The Bilateral Trade Relations Between India And UAE In The Global Economy

The three foreign ministers’ follow-up phone meeting on February 4 intended to “establish a plan for implementation” of their trilateral effort.

As a result, France, India, and the UAE are working “to further promote compatibility, joint development, and co-production, while pursuing avenues for further collaborative efforts and training between the 3 countries’ defense forces.” 

Defense was identified by the three nations as a key area for fostering closer cooperation. 

Due to their joint purchases of French Rafale fighters, India and the UAE are excellent allies in advancing the defense agenda.

Trilateral Partnership for Defense, Energy & Technology Sectors

The trilateral partnership’s main elements were convening in Paris at the same time as India’s foreign minister, Vinay Kwatra, was there. 

The topics of trilateral cooperation that Kwatra and his counterparts covered were military, clean energy and the environment, technology, and intercultural exchanges. 

The foreign ministers’ call, which prompted the meeting, was used to establish an action plan for their trilateral collaboration. 

That shows the intention and backing the trilateral relationship has in each of the three capital cities.

Clean Energy Projects In Indian Ocean Region

After the discussion, the Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar tweeted: “Productive discussion with counterparts, French FM and UAE FM tonight. carried forward New York’s discussions about constructing useful initiatives that will assist the area. 

The three discussed “convergences and increased partnership in education, business, maritime, culture, and renewable technology for a sustainable peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” the minister continued.

The three nations agreed that their trilateral collaboration initiative “will serve as a discussion board to endorse the creation and implementation of joint projects in the fields of energy, with an emphasis on solar and nuclear energy, in addition to the combat of climate change and the conservation of biodiversity, especially in the Indian Ocean region,” according to a press release from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the ministers’ meeting. 

The three nations decided that they will “examine the prospect of partnering with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to pursue actual, practical projects on clean energy, the environment, and biodiversity” in order to address issues of concern in the Indian Ocean region.

Trilateral Relationship Among India France & UAE

The advancement of India’s relationships with these 2 nations has occurred as a result of both bilateral and minilateral measures.

Read : Tech-Artistary Bows Down For A Hand-Carved Hindu Temple In UAE

India and the UAE are also members of the I2U2 grouping known as the Middle East Quad, which also consists of Israel, the United States, the UAE, and India.

This Middle East Quad has a strong emphasis on economic and technological cooperation while advancing fields including clean energy, transportation, and water.

The trilateral cooperation has the potential to develop into an action-focused minilateral in the larger Indo-Pacific region given the strong engagement of India, France, and the UAE as well as their respective material resources.