SOURCE: IANS
New Delhi played host to the India-France Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) on March 5, 2024, co-chaired by Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary, and Ms. Anne-Marie Descôtes, the Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
This meeting saw a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in various dimensions of bilateral cooperation, as outlined in the India France Horizon 2047 Roadmap, a landmark agreement adopted during the Prime Minister’s visit to France on July 14, 2023.
Preceding the FOC, the 2nd meeting of the Strategic Space Dialogue, co-chaired by both nations’ officials, and the India-France ‘Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue’ were held on March 4, 2024. During her visit, Ms. Descôtes also paid a courtesy call to India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar.
Discussions during the consultations spanned various critical areas of bilateral cooperation including defence, civil nuclear energy, space, cyber and digital domains, AI, Science and Tech, UNSC reforms, multilateral cooperation, blue economy, institutional dialogue mechanisms, and initiatives aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges and cultural ties.
The dialogue extended beyond bilateral matters to encompass global and regional affairs, with notable discussions on the Indo-Pacific, climate action, energy transition, health, trilateral and plurilateral cooperation, and addressing key challenges such as the situation in Gaza, the Red Sea, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The FOC serves as a pivotal mechanism for enhancing cohesion in all existing exchanges between India and France. Overall, the meeting provided an invaluable opportunity to review actions across multifaceted ties, fostering deeper understanding and collaboration on shared priorities and challenges.
India and France, longstanding strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific, have consistently demonstrated a high level of mutual trust and commitment to shared principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and international law. T
The adoption of the roadmap in July 2023 further solidified their commitment to advancing their bilateral relationship up to 2047, marking significant milestones including India’s centenary of independence and 50 years of strategic partnership.
In military aviation cooperation, India got delivery of 36 Rafale aircraft ordered by India. Looking ahead, both nations aim to expand their defence cooperation in advanced aeronautical technologies, including joint development of a combat aircraft engine.
In the realm of space exploration and technology, India and France have committed to deepening their cooperation across various domains, including scientific and commercial partnerships, resilience of access to space, and strategic space dialogue.