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India-France Elevate Ties to Special Global Strategic Partnership Under Horizon 2047 with 21 Key Outcomes

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingBankingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
18 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:Horizon 204721 outcomes50% indigenous Rafale contentEarly 2027 H125 deliveryRs 250 crore penalty under DPDP Act
Bodies:Supreme CourtMinistry of External AffairsMinistry of DefenceAircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)Data Protection Board of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.India and France upgraded bilateral ties to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership', launching the India-France Year of Innovation and announcing 21 key outcomes, including enhanced defence co-production and a Horizon 2047 roadmap.

2.The DPDP Act, 2023, faces constitutional challenges in the Supreme Court for allegedly undermining RTI, investigative journalism, and expanding state surveillance, invoking the Puttaswamy judgment's proportionality test.

3.The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating a crash using damaged black boxes, highlighting the technology and process of aviation accident investigation.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

India and France elevated bilateral ties to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' during President Macron's visit, resulting in 21 strategic outcomes across defence, tech, and space. Simultaneously, the Supreme Court faces constitutional challenges to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act), 2023, raising critical questions about privacy, RTI, and press freedom. This news is crucial for understanding India's strategic diversification within the West and the evolving legal-tech landscape.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Partnership NameSpecial Global Strategic Partnership
Key FrameworkHorizon 2047 Roadmap
Major Defence JVBEL-Safran for Hammer missiles
Indigenous Rafale Content TargetUp to 50%
First 'Made in India' H125 DeliveryEarly 2027
Challenged ActDigital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
Amended RTI SectionSection 8(1)(j)
Landmark SC Judgment CitedK. Puttaswamy v Union of India (2017)
Aviation Investigation BodyAircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)
Black Box InventorDavid Ronald de Mey Warren

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Partnership Name: Special Global Strategic Partnership
  • ›Key Framework: Horizon 2047 Roadmap
  • ›Target this Partnership: 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' (not just Strategic Partnership).
  • ›Target this Framework: 'Horizon 2047 Roadmap' (year connects to India's centenary).
  • ›Target this Legal Provision: DPDP Act's Section 44(3) amending RTI Act's Section 8(1)(j).
  • ›Target this Case Law: K. Puttaswamy v Union of India (2017) - 9-judge bench, privacy as fundamental right.

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The 'Horizon 2047' roadmap, recently in news, is a bilateral framework between India and which country?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act), 2023:

1. It amends the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, to strengthen the disclosure of personal information held by public authorities.

2. Petitioners in the Supreme Court have argued that the Act imposes onerous obligations on journalists, potentially classifying them as 'data fiduciaries'.

3. The Data Protection Board of India, established under the Act, has been criticized for lacking independence in its composition.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news, what is the targeted indigenous content percentage for the Rafale fighter aircraft to be manufactured in India, as discussed in the India-France Annual Defence Dialogue?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

The Supreme Court's examination of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act), 2023, primarily revolves around balancing which of the following fundamental rights?

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