India and France
**Indo-French Cooperation: Partnership for the Planet**
1. **President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi**, on July 14, 2023, accentuated the ‘Partnership for the Planet’ as one of the foremost pillars at the Indo-French Horizon 2047 Roadmap summit in Paris.
2. The elevation of this partnership signifies the strengthening of Indo-French cooperation over a few past years on key areas like **climate change, biodiversity, health, and environment**.
3. There exists a significant convergence in the views between France and India, and both countries advocate the paired growth of socioeconomic development and environmental protection.
4. Both countries are dedicated to mitigating North-South divides and are in the favor of finding sustainable solutions collectively for global authorities as well as for their individual **green transitions**.
5. The cooperation has resulted in major joint global initiatives such as the **International Solar Alliance**.
6. However, ‘Partnership for the Planet’ goes beyond these initiatives. It includes tangible projects in India aiming at a greener and more inclusive future.
**French Development Agency’s Role in India**
7. The French Development Agency (AFD) supports many Indian projects towards achieving sustainability goals, such as one-horned rhino protection in Assam, Pune’s metro system, and Chandigarh’s future water supply system.
8. AFD is part of France’s international partnership strategy and is backed by its private sector arm, Proparco, and the tech-cooperation agency Expertise France.
9. It advocates for a comprehensive approach to development, focusing on harmonizing growth with the accomplishment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
10. The agency is engaged in a vast number of projects, over 4,200 across more than 150 countries.
11. In the past year, the AFD group approved more than 1,000 new projects cumulating over €13.5 billion.
**Topic Related MCQs**
1. **What is the central theme of the ‘Partnership for the Planet’ under the Indo-French Horizon 2047 Roadmap?**
a) Cultural exchanges
b) Defense cooperation
c) Climate change and environmental protection
d) Trade liberalization
Answer: c) Climate change and environmental protection
Explanation: ‘Partnership for the Planet’ primarily deals with global climate change issues, biodiversity, health, and environment, promoting the idea that these can go hand-in-hand with socioeconomic development.
2. **Which worldwide initiative has emerged from the Indo-French cooperation?**
a) United Nations Human Rights Council
b) World Health Organization
c) International Solar Alliance
d) European Union
Answer: c) International Solar Alliance
Explanation: The International Solar Alliance is a globally recognized joint initiative propelled by Indo-French cooperation. This alliance focuses on efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
3. **What role does the French Development Agency (AFD) play in India’s sustainable development?**
a) It is a regulating body for international trade between India and France
b) It provides funding and technical expertise for various sustainability projects in India
c) It is responsible for maintaining diplomatic relations between India and France
d) It carries out cultural exchanges between the two countries
Answer: b) It provides funding and technical expertise for various sustainability projects in India
Explanation: AFD is a core part of France’s international partnership strategy and has been assisting India’s sustainability goals by working on numerous projects promoting ecosystem conservation and sustainable urban development.
