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Business News/ News / World/  India, France pledge to deepen strategic partnership
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India, France pledge to deepen strategic partnership

French minister Jean-Yves Le Drian discussed cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region with Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)Premium
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI : India and France on Tuesday pledged to deepen their strategic partnership besides trade and investment ties as the foreign ministers of the two countries held extensive talks that also covered regional and global challenges.

The French minister Jean-Yves Le Drian who arrived in New Delhi on Monday, the third high profile visitor from France to India this year, also discussed cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region with his Indian host, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

"A comfortable, substantive and productive discussion with FM @JY_LeDrian. India and France will advance their shared post-COVID agenda through close collaboration," Jaishankar later said in a Twitter post.

French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain described the meeting as "excellent" in his post on Twitter.

"Excellent meeting b/w @JY_LeDrian @francediplo_EN & @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia. The ministers discussed all aspects of the bilateral strategic partnership, regional & global challenges and cooperation at the #UNSC," Lenain said.

The Indian foreign ministry in a statement said “in the context of the changes in a covid-impacted world, both Ministers recognised the immense opportunities for greater collaboration in diverse sectors such as trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, research and innovation, energy and climate change."

“Bilateral trade with France has witnessed a steady rise in the last decade reaching $ 10.75 billion in 2020. To tap the full potential of bilateral trade and economic relations, both sides recognised the importance of fast tracking the discussions on an India-EU trade and investment agreement," it said.

Jaishankar and Le Drian also reiterated their “shared commitment to a multipolar world and faith in multilateralism," it said.

“They explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, including the India-France-Australia Trilateral mechanism, addressing emerging challenges in the maritime and space domains and working together in the area of climate action and biodiversity protection. In this regard, India welcomes France’s decision to take up the ‘Maritime Resources’ pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)," it said.

The defence and security ties between India and France have been on an upswing in recent years with the two countries signing a logistics support pact ie the agreement for the Provision of Reciprocal Logistics Support between the Armed Forces in March 2018.

Indian warships took part in the recently concluded French multinational Naval exercise “La Perouse." The two countries are also expected to hold their customary naval exercise “Varuna“ in scheduled in the Western Indian Ocean with the United Arab Emirates also expected to participate this year.

India is also a buyer of French military hardware. The latest acquisition is that of 36 Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft under an agreement signed in 2016 that cost about 58,000 crore. Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale jets, has delivered 14 aircraft to the Indian Air Force so far.

At a separate event in New Delhi, Le Drian said France had set a target of having 20,000 Indian students in his country by 2025. In 2019, there were 10,000 Indian students studying in France, according to officials at the French Embassy.

"We have set a target -- it is to have 20,000 Indian students in France by 2025, and we will make it. We want to bring French and Indian youth even closer," Le Drian said was quoted as saying by PTI.He was speaking at an event hosted by the French Embassy where he appointed 15 Alumni Ambassadors chosen from the students’ network to boost student mobility between the two countries.

"We will support the students during their stay in France... Living in France is quite something," he said.

During his three day visit, Le Drian is also to meet Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and the two will take part in a panel discussion at the French Embassy on boosting global action against climate change in view of COP26 ie the UN change event hosted by the UK in November.

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Published: 13 Apr 2021, 07:37 PM IST
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