India Narrative

Hugs, handshakes and a lot of smiles - there was so much more at play than just mundane diplomacy when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Emmanuel Macron, President of France, in Paris on Wednesday evening.  As India and France celebrate 75 years of their diplomatic relations, PM Modi was the first foreign leader received by Macron after his triumph in the presidential elections last month.  The impeccable trust and camaraderie that exists between the two leaders was quite visible from the warm welcome given by Macron to the Indian Prime Minister at Elysée Palace and in the talks - in one-on-one and delegation level formats - that followed.  Over the last few years, both leaders have given a new impetus to the India-France friendship and as Macron takes a fresh stance to begin his second innings, they once again displayed the spirit of trust and frankness that characterizes their relations. Read more  

A momentous step to significantly reinforce partnership between India and Central Asia was taken at the First India-Central Asia Summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in a virtual format on January 27.   A highly ambitious and visionary Delhi Declaration was issued at the conclusion of the Summit. Some of the major areas identified for enhanced focus include trade and investment, connectivity, development cooperation, including capacity building, security and defence, culture and people to people contacts. The most consequential decision taken at the Summit is to institutionalise the framework for India-Central Asia cooperation at a regional level and to hold Summits every two years. The next Summit will hence be held in 2024. Such summit meetings in future are likely to take place in person and not through the virtual medium. This will provide opportunity to the leaders to have