India and France reaffirmed their commitment to building one of the premier strategic partnerships for advancing peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a joint statement following the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and France President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “They share a vision of a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, based on a commitment to international law, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, freedom of navigation and a region free from coercion, tensions, and conflicts.”
Indo-France Indo-Pacific partnership encompasses defence and security, trade, investment, connectivity, health, and sustainability. Besides bilateral cooperation, India and France will continue to develop new partnerships in various formats with like-minded countries in the region and within regional organisations.
Both sides welcomed the recent launch of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council which will foster high-level coordination on strategic aspects of the trade, technology, and security as well as the restart of negotiations on India-EU Agreements on Trade, Investment, and Geographical Indicators.
India and France also expressed serious concern about the humanitarian situation and violation of human rights in Afghanistan while calling for an inclusive and representative government in the country. The statement also informed that Prime Minister Modi has invited President Macron to visit India at the earliest possible opportunity. PM Modi emplaned for India after the conclusion of his engagements in Paris on Wednesday.