Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron signed 14 agreements on Saturday and witnessed the exchange of MoUs between India and France. Agreements have been signed on various aspects such as field of education, environment, urban development and railways in the presence of the two leaders.
Both leaders even issued a joint statement, where PM Modi said that either of the countries has robust cooperation in fields of defence and security. He also said that he welcomes investments from France in the defence and security under ‘Make in India’. Both France and India have signed an agreement on protection of classified information.
Modi during the press briefing said that both countries may have a strategic partnership for 20 years but our cultural and spiritual partnership is even older. The values of liberty, equality and fraternity echo not just in France but have been embedded in India’s Constitution as well.
On French counterpart, President Macron said that France wants India as its first strategic partner in Asia, and it wants to be India’s first strategic partner in Europe and even the western world.
He further said that India and France have decided to work together to deal with threats of terrorism and radicalisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, as a special gesture. Macron is on a four-day visit to India.
President Macron is also accompanied by his wife Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron, along with senior ministers from his Cabinet. Supposedly, the visit would look to boost ties, especially in areas of maritime security and counter-terrorism.
PM Modi met President Macron for India-France bilateral talks at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi this morning. As per reports, President Macron will “spend a lot of time with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” and both leaders had “formed a close relationship” during President Macron’s first nine months in power. President Macron has a busy schedule through the four days that he is in India.
After inspecting a guard of honour and meeting with other officials, Macron said, “I am very happy and proud of this visit. I thank the President (Kovind) and Prime Minister (Modi) for this welcome. I think we have a very good chemistry and our two great democracies have a historic relationship.”