When disaster strikes, true friendships are revealed, and France has time and again stood by Pakistan’s side in moments of crisis. From earthquake relief in 2005 to flood recovery in 2025, Franceās humanitarian efforts in Pakistan have shown one thing clearly: this partnership goes far beyond diplomacy or trade. Itās built on compassion, resilience, and a shared commitment to prosperity for each other. A bond that continues to bring hope, even in the hardest of times.
Since Pakistanās independence in 1947, France stood among the first non-Muslim nations to recognize Pakistan, and by 1951, both countries had established embassies on each otherās soil. Today, the relationship has evolved into a broad-based partnership encompassing political dialogue, strong trade ties, defense cooperation, migration matters, educational exchanges, development initiatives, cultural collaboration, and vital joint efforts on climate action.
By allocating ā¬7.2 billion to developing nations in 2024, including ā¬3 billion for climate change adaptation, France reaffirmed its position as a leading global climate finance provider. For the third year in a row, France has surpassed President Emmanuel Macron’s ā¬6 billion yearly goal for 2021ā2025, placing the nation among the top donors to international climate finance. Some of the ongoing France-supported climate projects in Pakistan include the Rural Development and Climate Change Adaptation Project (PDRA-CC), worth ā¬300,000, which aims to improve economic and climate resilience in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. Additionally, a $54 million credit line and a ā¬675,000 grant have been provided to promote low-carbon and climate-resilient growth across Pakistan, supporting investments in green infrastructure, energy efficiency, and sustainable rural development.
France has long been one of Pakistanās most valuable trading partners. Our formal trade agreement dates back to 1966, and since then, the partnership has evolved into one built on trust, opportunity, and shared growth. France has been consistently supporting Pakistanās GSP+ status, which allows Pakistan duty-free access to most EU markets. Even though it was acknowledged by the Federal Minister for Finance, Aurangzeb, as he said that the French government supported the renewal of GSP+ status to Pakistan. Moreover, France supported Pakistan when the status was first granted in 2014 and has continued to advocate for Pakistan within the EU.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan, Bilateral trade between Pakistan and France has surpassed the $2 billion mark for the first time, with the balance favoring Pakistan. In 2023, Pakistanās exports to France reached $1411.38 million, while French exports to Pakistan stood at $278.96 million. The backbone of this trade relationship lies in Pakistanās textile strength, with home textiles, apparel, sports items, and knitwear leading the charts. On the other hand, France exports pharmaceuticals, industrial machinery, and chemical products to Pakistan, reflecting the mutual complementarity between our two economies. Whatās even more encouraging is that Pakistan enjoys a positive trade balance, exporting more to France than it imports.
Security and defense form a cornerstone of the bilateral trust. Back in the 1990s, Pakistan launched a major aircraft upgrade project called ROSE: Retrofit of Strike Element. With technical support from the French company, Pakistan upgraded its Mirage aircraft with advanced systems, giving the Pakistan Air Force a major technological edge.
Education and cultural exchange have become one of the strongest bridges connecting our two nations. Through the French governmentās initiative called āChoose Franceā, Pakistani students are guided and supported in enrolling at some of the worldās top-ranked French universities. Also, France is among the few countries that offer scholarships in social sciences.
Pak France Alumni Network (PFAN) currently has more than 265,000 members, enabling them to maintain their contact with France, intending to exchange with each other, participate in events, and access numerous job offers. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the Pakistani diaspora in France is estimated to be around 125,000 people, who are contributing significantly to French Society while acting as a crucial link between the two cultures.
In addition to this, Alliances FranƧaises is working to advance French language instruction and usage worldwide, to advance the ideals of French-speaking nations, to foster cross-cultural interactions, and to support the growth of cultural variety in general. With three offices in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, Alliances FranƧaises has been operating in Pakistan for almost 50 years.
Through investments in climate resilience, sustainable urban transportation, renewable energy, and water and sanitation, the Agence FranƧaise de DĆ©veloppement (AFD) is helping Pakistan to make the transition to green and inclusive growth. AFD funds hydropower development, energy efficiency, and electricity transmission and distribution projects. The Faisalabad Water and Sanitation Agency (F-WASA) received a ā¬95 million loan from AFD to improve distribution, build new facilities, and cut down on water loss in order to boost the city’s drinking water supply by 30 million gallons per day.
As relations between Pakistan and France continue to strengthen, interest among Pakistanis in experiencing Franceās rich culture, history, and natural beauty is growing rapidly. This rising demand has encouraged Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to launch direct flights to Paris this year, making travel more accessible and convenient.
Looking ahead, this development is expected to further enhance people-to-people ties, promote cultural understanding, and expand opportunities for tourism, education, and business exchanges between the two nations.
As both nations broaden their bilateral dialogue, the FranceāChina partnership is set to advance even further, with future collaboration likely to grow in areas such as green infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, digital innovation, and global climate governance. Looking ahead, this evolving relationship reflects a shared vision for long-term stability, sustainable development, and inclusive global growth, positioning both countries for even stronger strategic cooperation in the decades to come.
The writer is a senior journalist with expertise on international relations, ED CDCS, a former fellow of ICFJ, and a PhD from Tsinghua University. He can be reached at furqanrao68@yahoo.com.
