Stressing that India-France partnership aims to advance a free, open, inclusive, secure and stable Indo Pacific region, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two nations also aim to help other countries in the area.
In an interview with the French newspaper ‘Les Echos’ ahead of his two-day official visit to France starting on July 13, the Indian Prime Minister said: “Our partnership aims to advance a free, open, inclusive, secure and stable Indo Pacific region, working together and with others in the region who share our vision. There is a strong defence and security component that extends from seabed to space.
“It also seeks to help other countries in the region and strengthen the regional institutions for security cooperation and norm setting.”
As per the translation made available, PM Modi noted that India and France are working together not just to strengthen India's defence industrial base and the joint operational capabilities, but also to collaborate on supporting the security needs of other countries.
“It involves the full range of economic, connectivity, human development and sustainability initiatives. These will draw other countries into shared endeavours of prosperity and peace. This partnership opens great possibilities for regional cooperation. Further, beyond the Indian Ocean Region, we will increasingly coordinate and cooperate in the Pacific Region, as well. Our partnership will also include the EU, which has its own Indo Pacific strategy. With EU, we already have an EU-India Connectivity Partnership,” he said.
Expressing gratitude to French President Emmanuel Macron for his invitation, PM Modi said that his thinking matches that of New Delhi’s and as a result the partnership between India and France is deepening in areas like economic, social, cultural and people to people contacts.
“Our partnership is deepening in economic, social, cultural and people to people contacts between the two countries. Our trade has nearly doubled since 2014. Just this year, two Indian air carriers have placed order for more than 750 aircraft on Airbus. Both countries are working more closely to realise the vision of using digital public infrastructure for public good. There is strong collaboration in clean energy, including solar, wind and clean hydrogen,” PM Modi said.
He stressed that French President Macron has taken many initiatives to deepen the India-France ties.
(ANI)