India and France on Saturday took their strategic ties to a new plane when they signed as many as 14 key agreements in areas like defence, security, nuclear energy and protection of classified information as French President Emmanuel Macron conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi his country’s firm resolve to join hands with India in combating terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism and radicalisation.
Without directly naming Pakistan or any other nation, the two leaders, in a joint statement, called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting networks and their financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Al Qaeda, Daesh/ISIS and their affiliates who threaten peace and security in South Asia and the Sahel region, a joint statement issued after Modi-Macron talks said.
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The two countries also inked pacts in fields like education, environment, urban development and railways after wide-ranging talks between the two leaders on bilateral issues as well as international developments.
At a media interaction with Macron, Modi described France as one of the most trusted defence partners of India. He also spoke about Paris’s commitment to his ‘Make in India’ initiative in the defence sector.
On his part, the French leader said he wanted his country to be India’s best partner in Europe. “France is the entry point to Europe. We want to be India’s best partner in Europe,” Macron said.
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The two leaders also welcomed the ‘Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region’ as a guiding beacon for partnership between their two countries. Apparently taking a dig at China for its growing ambition in the South China Sea, the two leaders reiterated that cooperation between India and France would be crucial in order to maintain the safety of international sea lanes for unimpeded commerce and communications in accordance with the international law, for countering maritime terrorism and piracy. ‘’Indian Ocean cannot be a place for hegemony,’’ the French President said.
Significance is being attached to the agreement for logistics support between the armed forces of the two countries. Under the accord, India is expected to be permitted to use French bases in the Indian Ocean and, in return, allow French naval vessels access to Indian ports for repair and resupply. The pact also has provisions for joint exercises, joint training, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
The agreement regarding the exchange and reciprocal protection of classified or protected information will enable the two countries not to divulge information classified ‘secret’ by either side. It would apparently also cover cost details of the Rafale jet deal on which the Modi government has been facing intense heat from the Congress party. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the on-schedule progress in the implementation of acquisition related agreements, including the Rafale pact signed in 2016.
The agreement on nuclear cooperation prescribes a way forward for the implementation of the Jaitapur nuclear power project which has been hanging fire for almost a decade now. The two leaders reiterated the goal of commencing work at the Jaitapur site by the end of this year.
Despite the age difference between them, Modi and Macron have established a personal chemistry between them which was very much in evidence as the two leaders hugged each other at the ceremonial welcome accorded to the French leader at the Rashtrapati Bhavanon Saturday morning. The two leaders will co-chair the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit on Sunday.
