India, France talk ways to boost Indo-Pacific cooperation, discuss climate, space challenges

“A comfortable, substantive and productive discussion with FM @JY_LeDrian. India and France will advance their shared post-COVID agenda through close collaboration,” S Jaishankar tweeted.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with France counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Delhi. (Photo: ANI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held extensive talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, covering all aspects of the bilateral strategic ties as well as regional and global challenges.

They explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, including the India-France-Australia Trilateral mechanism, addressing emerging challenges in the maritime and space domains and working together in the area of climate action and biodiversity protection. A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said that India welcomes France’s decision to take up the “Maritime Resources” pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

The French minister arrived here on Monday evening on a three-day visit to explore ways to further boost cooperation between the two countries, including in the Indo-Pacific region.

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After the talks, Jaishankar said India and France will advance their shared post-Covid agenda through “close collaboration”.

“A comfortable, substantive and productive discussion with FM @JY_LeDrian. India and France will advance their shared post-COVID agenda through close collaboration,” he tweeted.

French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain described the meeting as “excellent”.

“Excellent meeting b/w @JY_LeDrian @francediplo_EN & @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia. The ministers discussed all aspects of the bilateral strategic partnership, regional & global challenges and cooperation at the #UNSC,” Lenain said in a tweet.

In the context of the changes in a Covid-impacted world, a statement from MEA said both ministers “recognised the immense opportunities for greater collaboration” in diverse sectors such as trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, research and innovation, energy and climate change.

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