Bahrain and France have made great strides in enhancing their defence relationship, wherein both countries have signed a bilateral agreement which entails sharing strategic information and expertise in the field of military. The agreement, which was announced by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, highlights the increasing level of ties between Paris and the Gulf kingdom and coincides with the escalated regional geopolitical tensions.

The contract is not just any ordinary arms transaction but a political commitment between the two countries, according to the French officials. In the case of Paris, Bahrain is a strategic ally in the Gulf, whereas in the case of Manama, France is an ally with a veto in some international forums, as well as being equipped with modern military forces. The agreement sends a strong signal to the actors of the region that the security of Bahrain forms a very important part of international peace.

The relocation also portrays the diversification of security associations in Bahrain. As the kingdom still has the US Fifth Fleet, the establishment of a defence partnership with France would provide a wider scope of flexibility and a multilateral security net.

According to President Macron’s office, “the agreement signed by him during the visit of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to Paris last month will pave the way to more industrial cooperation in defence and reinforce the solidarity between the two nations in the face of increasing global and regional geopolitical tensions.”

Not only should it boost the power of the armed forces of Bahrain through the experience of France, which is the leading country in terms of equipment, but it is also likely to increase the number of combined military manoeuvres between both military units, naval and air.

Major provisions are strategic intelligence exchange on threats in the region, cybersecurity and surveillance along critical shipping routes. France will also offer technical support in maintaining and developing the defensive systems of Bahrain, and they will liaise in order to control the principal shipping channels at the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden so as to reduce the threats of piracy and smuggling.

It will also enhance maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, in which France is a pioneer in the European Maritime Awareness mission in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASoH), seeking to guarantee safe navigation. Analysts observe that the agreement will be a template of European-Gulf security integration, and it can potentially be used to reach similar agreements with other Gulf states interested in diversifying their defence alliances.