India-France bilateral ties review covers nuclear, defence, space and digital cooperation

India and France held Foreign Office Consultations in Paris, reviewing progress in bilateral ties across civil nuclear energy, defence, space and digital cooperation. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Martin Briens and also held separate meetings with Jean-Noël Barrot and Emmanuel Bonne. Both sides exchanged views on the West Asia conflict and wider cooperation.

India and France held talks in Paris on Monday to assess their partnership. The review covered defence, civil nuclear energy, space, and digital work. Discussions took place as the West Asia conflict continued. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met senior French officials during the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Under India-France Foreign Office Consultations, Misri and Martin Briens shared views on the changing situation in West Asia. Briens is Secretary-General of the French Foreign Ministry. Misri also met French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. Misri later met Emmanuel Bonne, the French president’s diplomatic advisor.

India France bilateral ties review

The MEA said both sides checked progress across the relationship after the ties rose to a Special Global Strategic Partnership. The review also considered President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in February. Misri reached Paris after finishing a three-day trip to the US. Officials assessed how far ongoing projects and dialogues had moved.

India France bilateral ties review on defence and strategic areas

According to the MEA statement, the talks covered defence, civil nuclear energy, and space cooperation. Officials also looked at cyber and digital work, including AI. They reviewed institutional dialogue mechanisms between the two countries. The agenda also included efforts that support people-to-people links and cultural connections.

India France bilateral ties review on trade and students

The two sides discussed economic security and plans linked to trade. The MEA said both countries shared an ambition to increase movement of Indian students to France. They also repeated a goal of doubling bilateral trade. This was discussed alongside the conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU free trade agreement.

India France bilateral ties review on Indo-Pacific and global issues

India and France also compared positions on wider global matters, the MEA said. Topics included environment, climate change, and health cooperation. The talks also covered the Indo-Pacific and trilateral dialogues. Officials discussed joint development projects in third countries. They also exchanged views on West Asia and Ukraine.

The Paris consultations brought together several linked strands of the partnership, the MEA said. Officials combined regional security discussions with work on technology, defence, and energy. Meetings with Martin Briens, Jean-Noël Barrot, and Emmanuel Bonne added separate layers to the visit. The talks ended with both sides reviewing progress and future priorities.

With inputs from PTI