French foreign minister Colonna visits India; discusses regional, global and multilateral issues

New Delhi, Sep 15: French foreign minister Catherine Colonna, who is on her three-day visit from September 13-15 to India, met with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the India-France strategic partnership amid evolving geopolitics in Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

The EAM hosted Colonna for bilateral talks at Hyderabad House on Wednesday. Both the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the India-France partnership.

A statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "Both Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening the India-France Strategic Partnership in view of continuously evolving geopolitics, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where both countries are resident powers."

The ministers welcomed the expansion of bilateral relations to new areas like the blue economy and ocean governance and took stock of the progress on the bilateral roadmap that India and France adopted in February 2022.

"As part of the roadmap on Blue Economy, India will be the "Country of Honour" at the soon to be held 'Sea Tech Week' in Brest, France which would bring together blue economy stakeholders on both sides," said the MEA.

The ministers also expressed support for the first dialogue on Blue Economy which is to be held in the coming weeks.

Progress in other existing areas of cooperation, including defence, civil nuclear, and space, among others was appreciated by the ministers.

On defence industry cooperation, the ministers welcomed Safran Group's decision to set up their largest and first aircraft engine MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) facility, an investment of Rs 1200 crore ($150 million), in Hyderabad, Telangana.

"The EAM appreciated France's efforts during its Presidency of the EU Council to ensure the restart of the trade negotiations. Both sides agreed that early conclusion of the agreements would further accelerate the steady rise in bilateral trade which reached USD 9.87 billion during the period April 2021 - January 2022," said the MEA.

The two ministers also welcomed the conclusion of new projects in the area of bilateral development cooperation.

On digital sphere, both the ministers welcomed the launch of India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in France.

For people-to-people ties, both the ministers agreed to formally launch the scheme for the Exchange of young professionals from the age group of 18 to 35 years. The scheme will be effective immediately with the issue of as many as 500 visa permits per year by each side. The two ministers shared the ambition to further raise the number of beneficiaries of the YPS.

The ministers also reviewed the progress on the Indo-French Campus for Health which will be a joint venture of Indo-French academic partners who will establish 100% double degrees (1 Indian degree + 1 French degree) in English.

France was also invited to join the Raisina Forum for the future of diplomacy.

The ministers also discussed a number of regional, global and multilateral issues including the current conflict in Europe, the forthcoming UN General Assembly, the ongoing close cooperation between the two countries in the UN Security Council and India's priorities for the upcoming G20 Presidency.

The ministers welcomed the inaugural meeting of the Focal Points of the India-France-UAE Trilateral Framework and urged the officials to prepare an agreed roadmap for cooperation.

Both Ministers also expressed their interest in resuming cooperation under the India-France-Australia Trilateral mechanism.

"The ministers looked forward to the trilateral ministerial meeting to be held in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA, later this month," said the MEA.

Both the ministers agreed to work towards the establishment of an Indo-Pacific Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund to support India-based innovators and start-ups in taking their innovations to third countries.

After meeting with the EAM, Colonna also called on Prime Minister Modi and conveyed President Macron's message of friendship and cooperation.

During the meeting, PM Modi fondly recalled his recent meetings with President Macron in Paris and Schloss Elmau, Germany.

PM Modi conveyed his desire to welcome President Macron in India at an early opportunity.

Colonna also informed PM Modi that France supports Mission LiFE that he announced at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.

In the second leg of her tour, Colona will visit Mazagon Dockyard Limited (MDL) in Mumbai where the Indo-French cooperation on the P75 submarine project in being undertaken.

Colona will also meet Indian business representatives in Mumbai and will participate in a Conference on the Indo-Pacific organised by the Observer Research Foundation.