We need a middle power approach to resolving global situation: French Minister Haddad

File photo of French Minister-Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad | Photo Credit: Reuters

India and France have a common attachment to “strategic autonomy,” says French Minister-Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad, indicating that European countries are increasingly seeking more “middle power coalitions” to hedge against the uncertainty in ties with superpowers U.S. and China. In Delhi for the ‘Munich Leaders Meeting’ where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar indicated for the first time that India is mediating between Russia and Ukraine for specific agreement, Mr. Haddad told The Hindu in an interview that he hoped India would use its “voice” to bring Russia to the table for peace talks. Excerpts:

Photo credit: The Hindu You are in Delhi two months before the culmination of the India EU FTA, which is supposed to happen on December 16 in Brussels. Can you confirm that date is now set, and are there any hurdles still to cross before that?

Photo credit: The Hindu It is indeed our objective, to close by the end of the year. France is very supportive of the FTA with India, which really shows the deepening of both a bilateral relationship, and the broader relationship between the European Union (EU) and India. We are in a world of geopolitical turmoil, where we see that we have a common attachment to multilateralism, to cooperation, to a form of independence in international relations, which I think is what brings also France in India very close… this attachment to having strategic autonomy, to developing a sort of approach of middle powers in this world. 

Photo credit: The Hindu Do you see India and France coming together in some kind of a non-superpower coalition — with the middle powers versus the superpowers? 

Photo credit: The Hindu I don’t think it is ‘versus’. I think we are attached to a world that is driven by reliable partnerships, by cooperation and multilateralism in international law. We have our traditional allies and we are very committed to the European project, but we can see that with partners like India, we share the objective of not just being passive bystanders of a rivalry between the United States and China, but also to be able to defend our own interest, defend our own voice. In areas such as access to space and leadership of AI, I think there is really an incredible potential for a partnership. The India-EU FTA will only operationalise and deepen this. And one of the reasons of my visits, my second visit this year, is beyond just the signature of [the FTA] document, is to look at how we can take it to the next level, to a stronger partnership and a common voice on the international stage.