M Modi And President Macron Strengthen India-France Strategic Partnership

Rio de Janeiro, November 19 (IANS) Working jointly towards completion of several key Indo-French goals all the way to 2047, the centenary year of India's Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held extensive discussions on the sidelines of Rio G20 Summit to strengthen the India-France Strategic Partnership.  

During their meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed commitment to their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in the Horizon 2047 roadmap and other bilateral declarations.

"It is always a matter of immense joy to meet my friend, President Emmanuel Macron. Complimented him on the successful hosting of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics earlier this year," PM Modi posted on X after meeting Macron.

This was the third meeting between the two leaders this year, after President Macron’s visit to India as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations in January and their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy in June.

"We talked about how India and France will keep working closely in sectors like space, energy, AI and other such futuristic areas. Our nations will also work closely to enhance people-to-people linkages," said PM Modi

Over the past few years, the two leaders have cemented their friendship and the bonds between New Delhi and Paris with Macron calling India "a giant in world history with a decisive role to play in the future" under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

On Monday night, India time, both leaders sat down in Rio de Janeiro to take stock of the progress being made in strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, and economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries, between the two countries.

"It is always a pleasure to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as our partnership with India is both rich and multifaced," remarked Macron as he posted a video of him hugging PM Modi.

"We reviewed the progress on the initiatives launched during my State visit last January, as well as key international issues," he stated.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) later said in a statement that both leaders commended the progress achieved in bilateral cooperation, including in strategic areas such as defence, space and civil nuclear energy, and committed to accelerating it further with a view to reinforcing their shared commitment to strategic autonomy.

They also reviewed the progress of cooperation on India’s National Museum project.

"The two leaders commended the strengthening of trade, investment, and technology ties, including in the areas of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence, as well as India France partnership on Digital Public Infrastructure. In this context, the Prime Minister welcomed the initiative of President Macron to organize the forthcoming AI Action Summit in France," the MEA detailed.

Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East also figured prominently during the discussions.

"Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the Indo-Pacific. They reaffirmed their commitment to work together to reinvigorate and reform multilateralism and help build a stable international order," the MEA statement added.