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| India France to develop trilateral framework for development projects | | | agencies
NEW DELHI, Sept 14: India and France on Wednesday agreed to set up an Indo-Pacific trilateral framework to roll out development projects, decided to expand strategic cooperation and vowed to work closely to deal with pressing global challenges such as food crisis triggered by the Ukraine war.
After wide-ranging talks with her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna described Russian attacks on Ukraine as waging a "devastating war of aggression" on the territory of a sovereign state and that France is determined to work with India addressing the "terrible consequences" of the war.
Referring to the Indo-Pacific, she said many challenges have emerged because of China and both France and India share the same concerns "because we know the role that the Chinese are playing and we want to make sure there is no imbalance" in the region.
India and France also decided to expand cooperation in the Indo-Pacific under separate trilaterals with Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
Colonna said France and India have always supported each other such a level of solidarity and trust is "rare and precious" in today's world.
On dealing with the global food crisis, she indicated that an initiative could be proposed at the upcoming G20 summit in Indonesia to ensure that the most vulnerable countries "don't remain too exposed to these food security issues."
"When the core principles of the international rules-based order are flouted anywhere, they are weakened everywhere, including in the Indo-Pacific, where respect for international law has been undermined for some time now. India knows this better than anyone else," she said about the conflict in Ukraine during a joint media briefing with Dr Jaishankar.
"As an Indo-Pacific nation, our commitment to the region is unwavering. The war in Ukraine will not affect that. And India is and will remain at the core of our comprehensive strategy for the region," she said.
She said what applies to Europe and the Indo-Pacific applies everywhere, adding France and India reject a world where "might makes right".
"This is the significance of our cooperation at the United Nations Security Council, where France will continue to continue to push for a permanent seat for India," she added.
A French readout listed "Partnership for the Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order" as one of the three key initiatives agreed by the two ministers.
"France and India share a comprehensive strategy for the Indo-Pacific that seeks to provide tangible solutions for maritime security, regional cooperation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity protection, and healthcare," it said.
It said the two sides agreed to work towards the establishment of an Indo-Pacific Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund that will support sustainable innovative solutions for countries in the region. |
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