India, France discuss Indo-Pacific issue and bilateral ties

 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met François Delattre, Secretary-General of France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and discussed the situation in the Indo-Pacific. The two also discussed mutual relations with focus on enhanced cooperation in defence and security.

Delattre's visit comes on the heels of the Annual Defence Dialogue held on 17 December 2021 between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the French Minister for Armed Forces Florence Parly.

Jaishankar tweeted about the meeting: "Glad to receive French Secretary General François Delattre. Good discussions on our bilateral cooperation, Indo-Pacific and global developments".

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla too met the Secretary-General to discuss cooperation in spheres such as space, cybersecurity, digital economy, blue economy, education and people-to-people contacts, energy, health and climate change. The two officials were joined by the respective ambassadors.

The two countries also agreed to cooperate in global matters like the UN Security Council as well as Afghanistan.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said: "Reaffirming their shared commitment to a multipolar world and faith in multilateralism, the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary-General also held discussions on a number of regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in the European Union in view of the forthcoming French Presidency, Indo-Pacific, UNSC, situation in Afghanistan, among others".

India and France have been cementing their relations particularly in the areas of defence and security. India has been fortifying its defences with French weapons to keep a belligerent China in check.