Opinion | France’s Indo-Pacific foray is going full steam ahead
- Extended military deployments in Asia and the pursuit of arms deals with several regional countries are demonstrating France’s desire to play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific
- This could work to the Philippines’ benefit as it tries to launch its long-delayed submarine programme
Last week, the French navy’s Aquitaine-class destroyer Lorraine made a port call in the Philippines after departing Japan. The itinerary is part of the ship’s long-duration deployment to the region. The port call coincided with the visit of Rear Admiral Geoffroy d’Andigné, joint commander of the French armed forces in the Asia-Pacific, to Manila where he met senior foreign affairs, defence and military officials.
Another French naval vessel, the Floreal-class frigate Prairial, conducted a passing exercise in the South China Sea with Philippine coast guard multi-role response vessel BRP Capones in March. The Prairial also passed through the Taiwan Strait in April. Elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific, the third iteration of Exercise La Perouse off the Bay of Bengal saw French ships manoeuvring with their American, Australian, British, Indian and Japanese counterparts in March.
In late April and early May, Exercise Croix du Sud took place in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia in the South Pacific for the first time in five years. One of the largest regular humanitarian help and disaster relief manoeuvres in the region, this year’s round involved 19 countries, including France, Australia, the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.
The momentum at sea is matched by action in the air. France has dispatched 19 aircraft to take part in various Indo-Pacific exercises as part of its Pégase 2023 mission. With a stopover at a French base in the United Arab Emirates, the aircraft travelled more than 11,000 kilometres (6,835 miles) in 30 hours before arriving in Singapore and Malaysia.
