Modi And Macron Pledge To Strengthen India-France Defense Ties

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to strengthen defense ties between India and France by working together to plan, develop, and make advanced defense platforms for India, France, and other countries in the Indo-Pacific.

During their meeting at the G20 summit, Modi and Macron also called for the suggested defense industrial roadmap to be finished as soon as possible.

In a joint statement about their talks, Modi and Macron said that they had made “good progress” in talks about the Jaitapur nuclear project. They also said that they were glad that both sides were willing to work together to create a partnership for co-developing SMR (small modular reactors) and AMR (advanced modular reactors) technologies and that a “dedicated declaration” of intent would be finalized soon.

At a press conference, Macron talked about the strategic partnership between France and India. He said that the relationship is much more than just two countries working together, and that the two countries must work together to stop the “fragmentation” of the world.

Macron said that the relationship between India and France is “very strong,” but he didn’t give any specifics about what will happen in the coming months and years.

“French people were very proud, and they felt friendship and respect for your country,” he said.

Macron said that while Russia was still attacking Ukraine, India did its best as G20 president to send a message of peace and unity to the world.

The statement said that both leaders reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen defense cooperation through partnerships in the design, development, testing, and manufacturing of advanced defense technologies and platforms, and to increase production in India, including for other countries in the Indo-Pacific.

“In this context, they also asked for the defense industrial roadmap to be finished quickly,” it said.

The two leaders talked about how the bold new goals for cooperation in defense, space, nuclear energy, digital public infrastructure, critical technology, climate change, education, and people-to-people contacts are coming along and what the next steps will be.

“They also kept talking about how India and France could work together in the Indo-Pacific region and in Africa, including on projects related to infrastructure, connectivity, energy, biodiversity, sustainability, and industry,” the statement said.

At the press conference, Macron did not answer a question about when a deal will be made for India to buy 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy.

In July, India gave its approval to plans to buy three French-made Scorpene class submarines and the navy version of the Rafale jets.

In the joint statement, it said that the two leaders also talked about, evaluated, and looked over the progress in their relationships since their last meeting in Paris in July. Modi was the guest of honor at the Bastille Day parade on July 14.

The statement also said that the two leaders recognized the “strength of the India-France partnership, which is based on deep trust, shared values, a belief in sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and a firm commitment to international law and the UN Charter’s principles.”

It said that Modi and Macron both stressed the need for India and France to work together more to solve regional and world problems.

“They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to work together as a force for good, spreading the message of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” which means “one earth, one family, one future,” at a time when the global order is being reshaped by turmoil,” it said.

Macron praised Modi for the success of India’s mission. Chandrayan 3.

The two leaders talked about the 60 years of partnership between India and France in space and looked at how things have changed since the first strategic space dialogue in June 2023.

Modi and Macron also talked about how important it is to work together more between India and France to solve regional and world problems.

The statement said, “They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to work together as a force for good, spreading the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ which means ‘one earth, one family, one future,’ at a time when turmoil is reshaping the global order.”

“Placing an emphasis on digital, science, technological innovation, education, culture, health, and environmental cooperation, both leaders called for strengthening institutional links in these areas on the model of the Indo-French Campus for the Indo-Pacific,” it said.