Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron have vowed to strengthen Indo-French defence ties through partnership in design, development and manufacture of advanced defence technologies and platforms including for third countries in the Indo-Pacific.
Modi and Macron held talks yesterday on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. “Both leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthen the defence co-operation through partnership in design, development, testing and manufacture of advanced defence technologies and platforms, and expand production in India, including for third countries in Indo-Pacific,” a joint statement said.
“In this context, they also called for early finalisation of the Defence Industrial Roadmap,” said the statement.
India and France have welcomed African Union’s membership to G20 and have resolved to work with AU for progress, prosperity and development of Africa.
“[Modi and Macron] reiterated their unwavering commitment to collectively serve as a force of good, carrying the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, that is ‘one earth, one family, one future’, during tumultuous times reshaping the global order,” the statement said.
“Laying emphasis on areas such as digital, science, technological innovation, education, culture, health and environment co-operation, both leaders called for strengthening of institutional linkages in these domains, on the model of the Indo-French Campus for the Indo-Pacific,” it said.
Macron and Modi share a warm relationship, with the French president having invited the Indian prime minister to the Bastille Day 2023 parade in July.
Macron wrote in a post on X, during the G20 Summit: “One planet, one family, one future. This is the motto of the Delhi G20. Facing growing risks of divisions worldwide, dialogue with emerging economies on every continent is essential. Global stability and our ability to act, both depend on it.”