France calls for Europe-Indo-Pacific maritime coalition to safeguard sea lanes and freedom of navigation

France calls for European and Indo-Pacific nations to form a ‘coalition of independent states’ to safeguard maritime routes and protect freedom of navigation, said French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on Saturday. She emphasised that this concept must become reality in maritime security, with countries collaborating to prevent maritime chaos, piracy, illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and threats to underwater infrastructure. Vautrin also stated France’s commitment to ensuring security in the Indo-Pacific region, noting that over 8,000 French military personnel are permanently deployed there to protect citizens, territories, and partners. France controls several overseas territories in the region, including Réunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, and Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia in the South Pacific.