India and France on Thursday reviewed the entire spectrum of their bilateral ties and global issues including the Ukraine conflict during the 36th Strategic Dialogue here between National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron. The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was held in November 2021 in Paris.
The first bilateral visit of the year on Thursday aimed to pave the way for an ambitious expansion of the Indo-French strategic partnership as it marks its 25th anniversary this year. Bonne also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. India and France held discussions on various issues including the current global security situation in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, regional security in the context of Afghanistan and cyber security, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. The latest round of the dialogue covered all aspects of the Indo-French strategic partnership, Defence and security cooperation, major international and regional issues, including the war in Ukraine, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the French Embassy said later.
The talks also covered issues like counter-terrorism cooperation; cyber-security, space, civil nuclear energy. On each topic, the two sides agreed to raise the level of ambition of cooperation even further with the goal of accelerating efforts towards strategic autonomy.
During his visit, Bonne also met G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. He stressed France’s full support for India’s G20 presidency and conveyed President Emmanuel Macron’s message that Indo-French cooperation would be key to tackling global challenges in 2023.
In this respect, Bonne also praised the excellent cooperation with India at the United Nations Security Council over the past two years, and reiterated France’s support for a permanent United Nations Security Council(UNSC) seat for India. France and India established a strategic partnership in 1998, which has since grown continuously in scope and depth, based on exceptional mutual trust, shared democratic values, and a joint vision for a multipolar, rules-based world order.