International Relations

Context: Amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia disrupting global energy supply chains, the Government of India has invoked emergency powers to ensure adequate availability of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for domestic consumption. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas directed oil refineries to increase LPG production and divert additional output for household use, reflecting concerns over supply disruptions and rising fuel prices.

Impact of West Asia Conflict on Energy Supply

India’s energy security is closely tied to West Asian shipping routes.

• Strategic Energy Route: The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Nearly 20% of global oil trade passes through this narrow waterway.
• India’s Dependence: Around 40% of India’s crude oil imports and over 80% of its LPG imports transit through this strait.
• Price Volatility: Global crude oil prices have risen by about $20 per barrel (~30%), raising concerns about inflation and higher import bills.
• LNG Supply Risk: Qatar supplies nearly half of India’s LNG imports, making disruptions in the region a major concern for India’s energy supply.

Emergency Order Under the Essential Commodities Act

To manage the situation, the government invoked provisions under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

• The Ministry issued directives under the Petroleum Products (Maintenance of Production, Storage and Supply) Order, 1999.
• Oil refineries were instructed to maximise LPG output from available propane and butane streams.
• The extra LPG production is to be prioritised for domestic consumption to prevent shortages.

This step aims to stabilise supply and protect consumers from potential disruptions.

About Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

• LPG mainly consists of propane and butane, with small amounts of other hydrocarbons.
• It is produced during crude oil refining and natural gas processing.
• India’s LPG usage has expanded significantly through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), which increased LPG coverage from about 62% of households in 2016 to nearly universal access today.
• Around 60% of India’s LPG demand is met through imports, mainly from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

About Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

• LNG is natural gas (primarily methane) cooled to about –160°C to convert it into liquid form for easier transport.
• It is shipped via specialised LNG carrier vessels and later regasified at terminals before entering pipeline networks.
• India produces roughly 50% of its natural gas domestically, while the remaining 50% is imported, largely from Qatar.

Essential Commodities Act, 1955

The Act empowers the government to ensure the availability of essential goods at fair prices.

• Objective: Prevent hoarding, black marketing, and profiteering during shortages.
• Government Powers: Regulate production, supply, distribution, storage, and pricing of essential commodities.
• Control Tools: Stock limits, licensing, price control, and movement restrictions.
• 2020 Amendment: Certain agricultural commodities were deregulated except under extraordinary conditions such as war, famine, or severe price rise.

Conclusion

India’s emergency intervention highlights the vulnerability of energy supply chains to geopolitical disruptions. Strengthening domestic production, diversifying import sources, and improving strategic reserves remain essential for long-term energy security.

Context: French President Emmanuel Macron is on a three-day official visit to India in 2026, marking his fourth visit. During the visit, India and France formally upgraded their ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership, reinforcing cooperation in defence, technology, economy, and Indo-Pacific stability.

This elevation builds upon the Horizon 2047 Roadmap (2023), which focuses on Security, Planet, and People.

Key Outcomes of Macron’s 2026 Visit

1. Diplomatic & Institutional Strengthening

• The partnership was elevated to a Special Global Strategic Partnership to deepen Indo-Pacific coordination.
• An Annual Foreign Ministers Dialogue was institutionalised to monitor implementation of Horizon 2047 goals.

2. Defence and Military Cooperation

• A BEL–Safran Joint Venture was launched to localise HAMMER missile manufacturing in India.
• Reciprocal liaison officers were deployed between Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments to improve interoperability.

3. Technology and Innovation Collaboration

• The Indo-French Centre for Digital Sciences was launched to co-develop trusted digital public infrastructure and emerging technologies.
• India-France Year of Innovation 2026 was launched to promote R&D cooperation among startups and research institutions.

4. Skilling and Human Capital

• A Letter of Intent was signed to establish a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics.
• France operationalised a five-year Schengen visa for Indian Master’s alumni, easing professional mobility.

5. Healthcare and Logistics

• AIIMS Delhi will host an Indo-French Centre for AI in Health, focusing on advanced diagnostics.
• India Post and La Poste (France) signed an LoI to modernise e-commerce logistics and digital postal services.

6. Economic and Tax Alignment

• A protocol was signed to amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), facilitating cross-border investments.

Overview of India–France Bilateral Relations

• India’s first strategic partnership (1998) was with France, upgraded further in 2026.
• Bilateral trade reached $15 billion (2024–25), with India maintaining a trade surplus.
• France remains among India’s top defence partners:
  • procurement plans include 114 Rafale jets and a confirmed deal for 26 Rafale-M jets.
• Regular military exercises: Varuna, Shakti, Garuda.
• Digital cooperation expanded with UPI integration in France, including landmark usage at Eiffel Tower locations.
• Space ties: ISRO–CNES cooperation includes TRISHNA satellite for climate monitoring.
• Nuclear cooperation: Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008) and the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (9.9 GW).

Strategic Significance

The upgraded partnership strengthens India’s global positioning by supporting:

• strategic autonomy,
• multipolar world order,
• Indo-Pacific security,
• defence indigenisation and advanced technology collaboration.

Conclusion

India–France ties are emerging as a core pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific and strategic diplomacy, combining defence manufacturing, digital trust frameworks, innovation, and global governance coordination.

Context: The UAE–India corridor is emerging as a high-impact economic partnership driven by aligned policies, cross-border investments, and technology collaboration. It reflects how India’s Gulf engagement is evolving from an energy-focused relationship to a strategic growth corridor connecting Asia with Africa, West Asia, and Eurasia.

India–UAE Upswing

India and the UAE have witnessed a major acceleration in economic ties after the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), 2022. The CEPA target of $100 billion bilateral trade by 2030 was achieved five years early, leading both sides to set a new goal of $200 billion trade by 2032.

The partnership is also diversifying rapidly:

• Non-oil trade rose by 20% last year to $65 billion, reflecting reduced dependence on hydrocarbons.
• Since 2000, the UAE invested $22 billion in India, while India invested $16 billion in the UAE.

The corridor is reinforced by strong people-to-people ties, with nearly 5 million Indians living in the UAE and enabling over 1,200 weekly flights, making it one of the world’s most connected migration and business routes.

Strategic Significance of the Corridor

The corridor is being reshaped by advanced sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, finance, and technology. Major projects include:

• Reliance–TA’ZIZ $2 billion low-carbon chemicals initiative
• Ashok Leyland’s shift of electric bus production to the UAE
• L&T’s Abu Dhabi solar-plus-storage expansion

Financial integration is also deepening:

• Emirates NBD’s acquisition of RBL Bank marks the largest FDI in Indian banking.
• DP World’s additional $5 billion commitment to Indian infrastructure strengthens port-led connectivity.

Further, Bharat Mart is envisioned as a regional export platform for Africa, West Asia and Eurasia, potentially doubling India’s exports to these regions.

Key Pillars of India–UAE Cooperation

• Policy Architecture: CEPA removed nearly 90% tariffs, and the 2024 Bilateral Investment Treaty strengthened investor confidence.
• Technology Partnership: Collaboration on AI, data centres, and digital infrastructure, with India set to host the Global South AI Summit 2026.
• Energy Security: ADNOC signed multi-billion-dollar LNG agreements with Indian Oil and HPCL.
• Investment Depth: Mubadala has deployed $4 billion in India’s health, renewables and technology sectors, while the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has a presence in GIFT City.

Challenges

• Regional geopolitical instability may disrupt investment flows.
• Regulatory differences in taxation, labour laws and compliance create friction.
• AI and advanced manufacturing require strong talent pipelines.
• Overdependence on a single corridor may increase vulnerability to external shocks.

Way Forward

India and the UAE should expand joint skill development, diversify investments into healthcare and renewables, and strengthen AI-driven innovation ecosystems to make the corridor a model for Global South cooperation.

Context: At the 16th India–EU Summit, India and the European Union reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate on peaceful nuclear energy applications. The cooperation reflects a shared emphasis on clean energy, advanced medical applications, and high nuclear safety standards, while strengthening strategic trust between the two partners.

Scope of the Nuclear Cooperation

The collaboration is anchored in the India–Euratom Agreement (2020), which focuses exclusively on peaceful, non-explosive uses of nuclear energy.

It provides an institutional framework for joint research, technology exchange, and capacity building while respecting international non-proliferation norms.

A key area of convergence is fusion energy research, particularly enhanced coordination in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. Fusion is seen as a long-term solution for clean and virtually limitless energy, complementing renewables in the global energy transition.

Fusion Energy and ITER

ITER, currently under construction at Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, France, is the world’s largest experimental nuclear fusion project. It brings together seven partners—the European Union, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.

The project aims to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power by producing 500 MW of fusion energy from a 50 MW input, achieving an energy gain of Q = 10.

Unlike fission, fusion produces no long-lived radioactive waste and emits no greenhouse gases, making it a promising clean-energy option.

India plays a critical role in ITER. It has successfully built and delivered the world’s largest cryostat, a massive stainless-steel structure that maintains the ultra-low temperatures necessary for sustaining fusion reactions. This contribution highlights India’s growing capabilities in advanced nuclear engineering.

Focus on Non-Power Nuclear Applications

Beyond power generation, India–EU cooperation prioritises non-power nuclear uses, especially:

• Radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnosis and treatment, which can improve access to affordable and precise healthcare.
• Radioactive waste management, including safer handling, storage, and disposal technologies.

These applications underline the social and developmental benefits of nuclear science, aligning with public health and environmental safety goals.

Strategic Significance for India

The renewed partnership helps India diversify its nuclear and energy diplomacy, reducing overdependence on traditional partners such as Russia and the United States. Access to European expertise in nuclear safety, regulation, and advanced technologies strengthens India’s long-term clean energy and health security strategies.

For the EU, collaboration with India—one of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets—enhances the global relevance of its nuclear research and clean-energy leadership.

Conclusion

India–EU cooperation on peaceful nuclear applications represents a forward-looking partnership that blends clean energy innovation, medical advancement, and strategic diversification.

By jointly investing in fusion research and non-power nuclear technologies, both partners contribute to a safer, low-carbon, and knowledge-driven global future.

Context: China has proposed the “Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law”, aimed at regulating the conduct of Chinese citizens, entities, and expeditions in Antarctica. The move comes amid increasing geopolitical interest in the polar regions and growing commercial and scientific activity under the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS).

Key Provisions of the Proposed Law

• Expanded Jurisdiction: Chinese legal authority extends to citizens, companies, and foreign expeditions organised or departing from China.
• Mandatory Permits: Licensing required for scientific research and commercial activities such as tourism, fishing, and shipping.
• Environmental Safeguards: Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), waste control, and marine pollution standards are compulsory.
• Activity Restrictions: Mineral mining is banned except for scientific purposes; military use is prohibited, consistent with ATS peaceful-use norms.

Why the Law Matters

• Rule-Shaping Role: Signals China’s transition from treaty participant to regulatory influencer within the ATS framework.
• Commercial Legitimacy: Provides legal backing for China’s growing footprint in krill fishing, polar logistics, and tourism.
• Domestic Regulatory Closure: Prevents unregulated private Chinese activities from breaching international obligations.

India’s Response Strategy

• Strengthen Legal Enforcement: Full operationalisation of the Indian Antarctic Act, 2022 with robust permitting and inspections.
• Infrastructure Modernisation: Expedite Maitri-II station to maintain parity with China’s upgraded facilities.
• Scientific Credibility: Expand funding for climate, glacial, and monsoon-linked polar research to sustain Consultative Party status.
• Strategic Partnerships: Deepen cooperation with countries like Australia and France within the ATS.
• Logistics Independence: Acquire dedicated polar research vessels to reduce dependence on charters.

India’s Antarctic Presence

• First Expedition: 1981 (Operation Gangotri).
• Treaty Status: Consultative Party since 1983.
• Nodal Agency: National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (Goa).
• Key Research Focus: Antarctic–monsoon linkages and sea-level rise impacts.

Stations

• Dakshin Gangotri (1983): Now a logistics base.
• Maitri (1989): Year-round research; Lake Priyadarshini supplies freshwater.
• Bharati (2012): Oceanographic and atmospheric sciences hub.
• Maitri-II (Planned): Replacement by 2032 (~₹2,000 crore).

Context: India and the European Union have adopted the India–EU Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda: “Towards 2030” at the 16th India–EU Summit in New Delhi, signalling a qualitative upgrade in bilateral relations amid global economic and geopolitical churn.

The “Towards 2030” agenda represents a decisive shift in India–EU relations—from declaratory cooperation to a structured, outcome-oriented strategic partnership. Replacing the earlier Roadmap to 2025, the new framework recognises India and the EU as trusted, predictable and like-minded partners, committed to strengthening strategic autonomy in a multipolar world.

A Five-Pillar Strategic Architecture

1. Prosperity and Sustainability

Economic integration forms the backbone of the agenda. Both sides have prioritised the timely implementation of the concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement, alongside a separate Investment Protection Agreement to enhance investor confidence.

Cooperation on carbon markets seeks to align India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

In the clean-energy domain, the India–EU Green Hydrogen Task Force aims to harmonise standards, enabling exports of green hydrogen and ammonia to Europe.

2. Technology and Innovation

Technology cooperation is institutionalised through the Trade and Technology Council (TTC), focusing on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and digital governance.

India’s Digital Public Infrastructure—Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker—will be aligned with European digital standards to facilitate cross-border interoperability.

India has also initiated exploratory talks to associate with Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research programme, expanding access to global R&D funding. The Blue Valleys initiative further links European capital with Indian clean-energy manufacturing clusters.

3. Security and Defence

The agenda operationalises the India–EU Security and Defence Partnership, expanding military-to-military engagement and defence dialogue.

Both sides reaffirm commitment to a rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.

Dedicated dialogues on cybersecurity, space security and maritime cooperation reflect convergence on emerging and non-traditional security challenges.

4. Connectivity and Global Issues

Connectivity cooperation gains strategic depth through renewed commitment to the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), offering an alternative to China-led connectivity models.

India’s regional infrastructure projects will align with the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, promoting sustainable financing. Joint infrastructure projects in third countries, especially Africa, underline shared development priorities.

5. People-to-People Enablers

The agenda strengthens societal links through a Comprehensive Framework on Mobility, easing visa norms for Indian students and skilled professionals.

The EU’s move towards Schengen visa digitalisation is expected to simplify travel for Indians. Regular parliamentary exchanges and a structured Human Rights Dialogue institutionalise long-term engagement and trust.

Strategic Significance

The Towards 2030 agenda positions India–EU relations as a cornerstone of a diversified global order. For India, it unlocks trade, technology and climate finance while reinforcing strategic autonomy.

For the EU, India emerges as a reliable partner in supply-chain resilience, Indo-Pacific stability and sustainable growth.

By embedding timelines, institutional mechanisms and sectoral convergence, the agenda transforms intent into action—marking a mature phase in India–EU strategic cooperation.

Context: India and the European Union (EU) have announced the conclusion of negotiations on a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), often described as the “mother of all trade deals.” The pact creates a free-trade zone covering around 2 billion people and nearly 25% of global GDP. The agreement is expected to apply provisionally by Q4 2026 and enter into full force by early 2027, subject to ratification. A biennial review clause will allow both sides to address implementation challenges and update provisions.

Key Provisions of the India–EU FTA

1. Trade in Goods

• EU Commitments: Elimination of tariffs on 99.5% of India’s exports by value, with 90.7% receiving immediate zero-duty access.
• India’s Concessions: Tariff concessions covering 97.5% of EU import value, across 92.1% of tariff lines.
• Phased Liberalisation: Customs duties on 49.6% of European tariff lines are eliminated immediately, while the rest see phased reductions over 5, 7, and 10 years.
• Labour-Intensive Sectors: Textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, gems and jewellery, and marine products gain immediate duty-free access.
• Sensitive Exclusions: Dairy, cereals, poultry, and sugar are excluded to protect domestic producers.
• Automobiles: Import duties on European cars will be reduced to 10%, subject to an annual quota of 250,000 units.

2. Trade in Services

• Market Access: India gains access to 144 EU service subsectors, while the EU gains access to 102 Indian subsectors.
• Mobility of Professionals: Binding commitments to ease visa norms for Indian IT professionals, nurses, and consultants.
• Commercial Presence: European firms gain enhanced access to India’s financial, legal, and maritime services.
• Family Rights: Spouses and dependents of intra-corporate transferees are granted entry and work rights.
• AYUSH Recognition: AYUSH practitioners may work under home titles in EU states where these practices are unregulated.
• Digital Safeguards: Prohibition on mandatory source-code transfer, protecting Indian IT intellectual property.

3. Regulatory and Safeguard Measures

• Rules of Origin: Product-Specific Rules with self-certified Statements of Origin, reducing compliance costs.
• SPS Equivalence: Alignment of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures to reduce rejection of Indian agri-exports.
• CBAM Dialogue: A technical mechanism to align carbon reporting standards under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• Rebalancing Rights: India can impose retaliatory tariffs if EU non-tariff barriers negate trade benefits.

Strategic Significance for India

The FTA enhances India’s strategic autonomy by diversifying trade ties beyond the US–China axis. Duty-free access improves export competitiveness, especially against countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam. Cheaper European machinery can spur industrial modernisation, while regulatory alignment may upgrade India’s quality and standards ecosystem.

Key Concerns

Persistent phytosanitary barriers, CBAM-related costs for steel and aluminium, competitive pressure on MSMEs, the absence of EU “data secure” status, and historically complex rules of origin could limit gains if not addressed proactively.

Conclusion

The India–EU FTA is a transformative step toward deep economic integration. Its success will depend on effective implementation, MSME support, and sustained regulatory dialogue.