India sees France as a major power with a global outlook and an independent mindset, EAM S Jaishankar said

France has been extremely responsive to India’s concerns and priorities, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday after meeting his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in New Delhi.

India sees France as a major power with a global outlook and an independent mindset, he added, pointing out that it is central to the emergence of multipolarity.

He was addressing a joint press conference with the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs after their bilateral discussions.

Noting that France has been extremely responsive to India’s concerns and priorities, EAM Jaishankar said, "In the last three decades, while the world has seen a lot of ups and downs, India’s relationship with France has continued to develop and intensify".

"Prime Minister Modi and President Macron have set high ambitions for our ties and expect them to be realized expeditiously," he added.

The French foreign minister said that India and France have a very special and unique partnership.

Referring to the "turbulence caused by multiple stresses and challenges," EAM Jaishankar said the talks covered many such concerns like the conflict in Ukraine, the tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the consequences of the Covid pandemic, the developments in Afghanistan and the prospects of the JCPOA.

EAM Jaishankar noted that the French have a long-standing presence on either extremity of the Indo-Pacific. "We also explored how our respective interests and that of the international community are better served by stronger India-French collaboration", he said.

Colonna also touched upon the issue of Russia-Ukraine conflict saying that "whatever is happening in Ukraine is not only an issue for Europe, it is a serious matter for entire world."

TRILATERAL FORMATS WITH OTHER PARTNERS

Refereeing to the "expanding comfort" between India and France is the interest in creating trilateral formats with other partners, EAM Jaishankar said, "We look forward to the meeting of the India-France-Australia trilateral in New York later in the month with our colleague, Minister Penny Wong. Another trilateral – with the UAE – would also be upgraded to the Ministerial level given the positive feedback we had from the official one".

According to EAM Jaishankar, India and France have a long tradition, a strong tradition of working together in multilateral platforms and on global issues.

"Currently we serve together in the UN Security Council and our coordination there has been commendable. I would particularly appreciate the clear-cut position France has taken on the challenge of terrorism. I shared with Minister Colonna India’s views and expectations of our forthcoming G20 Presidency," he said.

The visiting French Foreign Minister also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed President Emanuel Macron’s message of friendship and cooperation. PM Modi fondly recalled his recent meetings with President Macron in Paris and Schloss Elmau, Germany, and conveyed his desire to welcome the President in India at an early opportunity.

She also informed PM Modi that France supports Mission LiFE that he announced at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.

In the second leg of her tour, French Foreign Minister Colonna will be in Mumbai on Thursday, where she will visit Mazagon Dockyard Limited where the Indo-French cooperation on the P75 submarine project in being undertaken. She will also meet Indian business representatives in Mumbai and will participate in a Conference on the Indo-Pacific organised by the Observer Research Foundation.