Finance
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France on his way back from the second India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Paris in one-on-one and delegation-level meetings, where they discussed a wide range of issues, including the situation in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The two leaders discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including defence, space, blue economy, civil nuclear, and people-to-people ties.
The two leaders also discussed how to make the India-France Strategic Partnership a force for global good by taking stock of regional and global security outlooks.
The Prime Minister’s visit to France “displayed not only the two countries’ but also the two leaders’ strong friendship and goodwill.”
Prime Minister Modi has invited President Macron to visit India as soon as possible.
During the meeting, France reiterated its unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.
India and France have expressed grave concern about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis there.
They “unequivocally” condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities to bring parties together to promote dialogue and diplomacy in order to put an end to the people’s suffering.
Both countries emphasised the importance of upholding the UN Charter, international law, and states’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The two leaders discussed the regional and global implications of Ukraine’s conflict and agreed to step up coordination on the matter.
Furthermore, India and France are deeply concerned about the current deterioration of global food security and nutrition, which has already been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in developing countries.
“The two countries are committed to enabling a coordinated, multilateral response to address the risk of aggravated food crisis because of the conflict in Ukraine, including through initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM), which aims at ensuring well-functioning markets, solidarity and long-term resilience,” reads a statement.
Concerning Afghanistan, India and France expressed grave concern about the humanitarian situation and violations of human rights, and they reaffirmed their strong support for a peaceful, secure, and stable Afghanistan, emphasising respect for its sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, as well as non-interference in its internal affairs.
They advocated for a more inclusive and representative government, as well as respect for the rights of women, children, and minorities.
Both countries also reaffirmed UN Security Council Resolution 2593 (2021) and stressed zero tolerance for the use of Afghan territory to spread terrorism in other parts of the world, and agreed to collaborate in this regard, including at the UN Security Council.
They praised the ongoing intense cooperation across all domains of defence. Joint exercises (Shakti, Varuna, Pegase, Desert Knight, and Garuda) highlight efforts to improve integration and interoperability wherever possible.
Meanwhile, India and France’s maritime cooperation has “reached new levels of trust and will continue through exercises, exchanges, and joint endeavours throughout the Indian Ocean.”
Source:IANS
