Diplomacy requires use of different jargons on the basis of hierarchy of friends and foes. Going by the language, tone and tonality with which France recently spoke, it has made its intentions clear before India.
French warns India
Recently French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire gave a strong warning to India. France wants G20 to not renegade on last year’s Bali declaration. Bruno asserts that his country is happy to see India in the driving seat and expects PM Modi led nation to reach a strong communique.
The question is what will France do if its demands are not fulfilled? France will simply boycott it. Quote, “Either we have the same language or we do not sign on the final communique,”
Macron’s internal politics
That is mildly appropriate for a diplomatic language. Through the veil of G20, the message is for India. Responsibility is on India to draw out the communique. France wants India to strongly condemn Russia for what President Putin terms as military operations in Ukraine. Other western nations also want it, but they do not use such threatening language.
Probably, France is using it because in the last few days, the war of rhetoric between France and Russia has cranked up. After Macron called for defeating Russia, Russians retorted back with a reminder of the legacy of Napoleon. Napoleon’s March towards Moscow had resulted in 80 per cent of his 6 million strong army getting wiped out due to cold, hunger, fatigue and diseases like typhus and diarrhoea.
The reminder of this humiliation has raised the nationalist sentiments in France. In a way, the message to India can be interpreted as Macron’s attempt to pacify its population amidst the fervours of jingoism. The French got the message, but India need not abide by it.
India doesn’t need to follow suit
That is because, 2023 is the last year in which a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine-Russia crisis could be reached. Russians are mobilising half a million more men for fresh sets of offensives later this year. Ukraine, on the other hand, is asking for more and more weapons from the US-led lobby.
There is no mediator in place except India. The West has no problem with India buying Russian oil, while Russia has not registered any problem with India’s ties with the West. Both Putin and Zelenskyy have been on talking terms with PM Modi. India, being G20 and SCO President in 2023, is preparing for a mediatory role.
It looks highly unlikely to cater to the passionate demands of a country and further increase the chances of nuclear threat. Doesn’t matter how close France is with India.
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