PM Modi, President Macron meet in Rio de Janeiro and decide to strengthen India-France strategic partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the India-France strategic partnership during talks held on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, November 18, 2024.

This was their third meeting this year. The two leaders had met during President Macron's visit to India as the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations in January and then on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy in June.

The two leaders agreed to continue working closely in sectors such as space, energy, AI and other futuristic areas. They also decided to work to strengthen ties between peoples.

It is always an immense joy to meet my friend President Emmanuel Macron. Congratulated him for the successful hosting of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi said on social media platform X.

We discussed how India and France will continue to work closely in sectors such as space, energy, AI and other futuristic areas. Our nations will also work closely to strengthen people-to-people ties, PM Modi said.

Shared vision for bilateral cooperation

During the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the India-France strategic partnership as well as their shared vision of bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in the Horizon 2047 roadmap and other bilateral declarations , said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA). said.

According to the MEA, they welcomed the progress made in bilateral cooperation, particularly in strategic areas such as defense, space and civil nuclear energy, and pledged to further accelerate it with a view to strengthening their engagement common in favor of strategic autonomy.

Prime Minister Modi and President Macron expressed satisfaction over strengthening trade, investment and technology ties, particularly in the areas of digital technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the India-France partnership on infrastructure digital public. In this context, the Prime Minister welcomed President Macron's initiative to organize the next Action Summit on AI in France.

A review of the progress of cooperation on the Indian National Museum project was part of the discussions.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly the Indo-Pacific region. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together to reinvigorate and reform multilateralism and contribute to building a stable international order, the MEA said.

A trusted partnership for the future

The year 2023 marked the silver jubilee of the India-France strategic partnership, with Prime Minister Modi visiting France in July. In their Horizon 2047 declaration released during this visit, the two countries agreed to work in a partnership of equals, in line with their respective sovereign and strategic interests. They also decided to strengthen cooperation in the sectors of the future.

Meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Puglia, Italy on June 14, 2024, Prime Minister Modi and French President Macron reviewed bilateral relations between India and France, focusing on the “Horizon 2047” road and the Indo-Pacific roadmap.

They discussed cooperation across a broad spectrum, including defense, nuclear, space and education. They also spoke about climate action, digital public infrastructure, connectivity and cultural initiatives. At the same time, the two sides agreed to intensify cooperation in areas such as AI, critical and emerging technologies, energy and sports.

Earlier, during a meeting in Jaipur on January 25, 2024, the two leaders agreed to adopt the Defense Industrial Roadmap, explore partnership opportunities in the defense industrial sector and prioritize joint design.