What's new

India: Back to France

chanikya

BANNED
May 5, 2011
618
-1
662
Country
India
Location
India
The Government of India must press ahead with its last-lap negotiations with Dassault Aviation of France for the finalisation of the definitive contract for the acquisition of 126 Rafale multi-role fighters.

2. Now that the decision of the Indian Air Force to go for Rafale has been announced, attempts will be made by others who failed in their bid to sell their aircraft to the IAF such as the European consortium producing the Typhoon to create confusion in the minds of the Indian political leadership and public opinion about the wisdom of the decision to choose the French aircraft.

3. Arms trade is a dirty business and often a Psywar is waged with no holds barred to create suspicions in the minds of the buyer about rival competitors. We had seen this dirty Psywar in the run-up to our decision to acquire a modern jet trainer aircraft. Both British and French arms dealers and their agents fought a bitter Psywar against each other by planting stories which were meant to create doubts in the mind of P.V.NarasimhaRao, the then Prime Minister.

4. I was in service at that time and had personal knowledge of the way stories—which ultimately turned out to be false— were planted through politicians, bureaucrats and journalists to create doubts in the minds of the decision-makers about the integrity of those involved in the decision-making and of the decision-making process itself. As a result, there was inordinate delay in signing the final contract for the purchase of advance jet trainers.

5. The British particularly played a very dirty game by planting suspicions in the minds of NarasimhaRao through their contacts in the Indian intelligence community. It is quite likely that history may repeat itself and a similar Psywar may again start. The only way of pre-empting and preventing it is by pressing ahead with the negotiations with Dassault Aviation and signing the final contract quickly. The longer the delay, the dirtier will be the Psywar.

6. Analysts have already started discussing about possible strategic collateral benefits to India as a result of the IAF’s decision to go for Rafale. Two possible benefits have been highlighted—- a greater keenness on the part of the French to step-up their co-operation with India in the nuclear and space fields and a revival of the 1970s project for co-operation between the intelligence agencies of India and France to monitor developments in the Indian Ocean in the waters to the West of India.

7. The credit for giving a French orientation to India’s strategic thinking should go to Indira Gandhi. Her bitter experience with the USA’s Nixon Administration during the 1971 events that led to the birth of Bangladesh and the difficulties sought to be created by the US in the way of our nuclear and space programmes after the 1974 nuclear test made her turn to France for understanding and co-operation. At her instance, R.N.Kao, the then head of the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), our external intelligence agency, visited France in 1974 for meetings with Le Comte Alexandre de Marenches, the then head of the French external intelligence, Michel Poniatowski, the then French Interior Minister, and Giscard d’Estaing, the then French President.

8. Kao’s fruitful discussions in France facilitated the co-operation between the two countries in the nuclear and space fields and led to an agreement between the external intelligence agencies of the two countries for operational co-operation to monitor developments in the Indian Ocean. Their common targets were the fleets of the US and the Soviet navies.

9. The intelligence co-operation progressed in fits and starts till the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October, 1984. After her death, the operational co-operation lost momentum, though intelligence-sharing continued. No other Indian political leader after Indira Gandhi and no other intelligence chief after Kao and no other intelligence chief of France after Le Comte evinced similar interest and enthusiasm for operational co-operation between the external intelligence agencies of the two countries.

10. The interests of both the intelligence agencies have changed since 1984. They no longer have common concerns over the activities of the US and Russian navies in the Indian Ocean. If operational co-operation—-as distinguished from intelligence sharing—is to be revived in a meaningful manner, we have to identify new areas of common concern. Two such areas are the activities of the Somali pirates and the intentions, capabilities and activities of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean.

11. There is already a mechanism for co-operation between the Navies of India and the NATO countries to counter piracy. Joint monitoring of the activities of the Chinese Navy is a subject of common concern for India and France that has not received adequate attention till now.

Chennai Centre for China Studies » India: Back to France
 
Well, all these propositions does seem fine but most of them seem to be trying too hard by connecting the random dots from past and future/uncertain geopolitical decisions that INDIA/FRANCE is going to take...
 
Well, all these propositions does seem fine but most of them seem to be trying too hard by connecting the random dots from past and future/uncertain geopolitical decisions that INDIA/FRANCE is going to take...
This is the era of evolving multi polar geopolitical system,one should feel optimistic as a Indian and French about future close Indo-French collaboration in tackling common problems.Benefits would be mutual.I strongly feel that if we go ahead with Rafale deal along with nuclear deal it may take our JV to the level it was once during Indra era.Both being strategic decisions make it only inevitable.

I think it won't be too difficult to join random dots of past and future, we are actually moving with ever gaining momentum in that direction.
 
actually they have done a lot of damage as in the case of the artillery modernization , airfield up gradations , even the 197 light heli acquisition.
 
This is the era of evolving multi polar geopolitical system,one should feel optimistic as a Indian and French about future close Indo-French collaboration in tackling common problems.Benefits would be mutual.I strongly feel that if we go ahead with Rafale deal along with nuclear deal it may take our JV to the level it was once during Indra era.Both being strategic decisions make it only inevitable.

I think it won't be too difficult to join random dots of past and future, we are actually moving with ever gaining momentum in that direction.

I wont point out the difficulty since I have no freaking idea what it takes to incubate a strategic relationship.

Nevertheless, the right directions will be to come up with a JV in combat fighter engines like Kaveri Snecma(tech level). Also, we would need to develop synergies vis-a-vis realtime geopolitical situations (political level). IMO, relationship should be multi pronged :)
 
I wont point out the difficulty since I have no freaking idea what it takes to incubate a strategic relationship.

Nevertheless, the right directions will be to come up with a JV in combat fighter engines like Kaveri Snecma(tech level). Also, we would need to develop synergies vis-a-vis realtime geopolitical situations (political level). IMO, relationship should be multi pronged :)
Yeah, I do agree to you about it being multi-pronged.
Our External Affairs Ministry should device a efficient algorithm to bypass any chances of sabotaging Indo-French intimate relations.France has always been there for us when we needed them most,they are doing there share of dos and don'ts we should reciprocate the same with caution.
 
Man this article was spot on wrt these points:

3. Arms trade is a dirty business and often a Psywar is waged with no holds barred to create suspicions in the minds of the buyer about rival competitors. We had seen this dirty Psywar in the run-up to our decision to acquire a modern jet trainer aircraft. Both British and French arms dealers and their agents fought a bitter Psywar against each other by planting stories which were meant to create doubts in the mind of P.V.NarasimhaRao, the then Prime Minister.

4. I was in service at that time and had personal knowledge of the way stories—which ultimately turned out to be false— were planted through politicians, bureaucrats and journalists to create doubts in the minds of the decision-makers about the integrity of those involved in the decision-making and of the decision-making process itself. As a result, there was inordinate delay in signing the final contract for the purchase of advance jet trainers.


Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian-defence/156774-india-back-france.html#ixzz1y6pcSlGz

BAE/EADS/UKG is certainly doing just this right now.
 
When I read about Kao, I just wonder why he and General Sam could not lead this country. Those are the types of leaders we need in India. I don;t think we ever filled the position of Military General and Intel Chief with capable minded individuals.
 
When I read about Kao, I just wonder why he and General Sam could not lead this country. Those are the types of leaders we need in India. I don;t think we ever filled the position of Military General and Intel Chief with capable minded individuals.

Despite their abilities, we don't need military leaders to lead India. Eventually they give way to some ruthless oppressor or perhaps even a village idiot. In a military dictatorship, we can never get rid of them.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)


Pakistan Defence Latest Posts

Back
Top Bottom