The ISA now has firmed up projects in three countries which shows the impact India and France make together in Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and Senegal…reports Asian Lite News
India and France have agreed to work towards the establishment of Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation that would facilitate development projects, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said after talks with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in New Delhi on Wednesday.
“We agreed to work towards the establishment of an Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation that would facilitate development projects, especially in framework of International Solar Alliance,” EAM Jaishankar said.
The ISA now has firmed up projects in three countries which shows the impact India and France make together in Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and Senegal, he added.
According to EAM Jaishankar, the Indo-Pacific trilateral would also provide a platform for Indian innovators and startups to demonstrate their relevance to the requirements of other societies.
EAM Jaishankar also highlighted the following points from the meeting:
- We are launching a scheme for the Exchange of Young Professionals in the 18-35 age group as a follow-up to our Migration and Mobility Partnership.
- We expect the Indo-French Campus on Health that will be taking shape to establish double degree courses to facilitate exchanges and collaboration.
- I welcomed France to the Raisina Forum for the Future of Diplomacy that will promote networking among young diplomats.
- I thanked her for making India the country of honour in the Sea Tech Week in Brest that will bring together blue economy stakeholders.
- We agreed to follow-up on the successful VivaTech Summit 2022 in France where India was the country of the year.
- We are particularly keen on the launch now of UPI and RuPay facilities.
Jaishankar lauds ties
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.”