Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held addresses with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Delhi said there was a broad understanding of each other’s position on the Ukraine issue, that the two leaders spoke considerably on the “ slinging effect” of the conflict, and agreed to coordinate “ veritably nearly” for a “ formative part” in the evolving situation.The tone of India’s statement was in sharp discrepancy to Delhi’s sharp response to reflections from other European leaders and ministers who, in recent weeks, had conveyed enterprises over India not condemning Russia’s conduct in Ukraine.Macron and Modi are among a sprinkle of world leaders who have maintained open communication channels with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two leaders met in Paris late Wednesday and a readout of their meeting came beforehand Thursday. Modi, who was on a trip to Germany and Denmark, made a layover in Paris to meet Macron before headinghome.In a Twitter post, Macron said “ we bandied the different ongoing transnational heads as well as our strategic cooperation” and “ we also talked about food security issues and the Ranch action in which India will play a crucial part” — Ranch is a reference to the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission. Modi said “ my visit to France was brief but a veritably fruitful bone” and that Macron and he “ got the occasion to bandy colorful subjects”. He also thanked Macron and the French government for “ the warm hospitality”.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, “ On Ukraine, there was a broad understanding of each other’s position. The two leaders agreed that close collaboration and engagement was important, so that both India and France can play a formative part in the evolving situation.”He said they spoke “ veritably considerably” on the “ slinging effect” of the situation in Ukraine in terms of global food dearths as well as the impact on other goods similar as fertilisers and how the two countries can mate to address some of these challenges.
Asked whether there was any discussion on how India and France could use their fellowship or influence to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to some kind of a conclusion, Kwatra said the two leaders changed their perspectives on the developments there.“ Prime Minister Modi gave a veritably elaborate understanding of the space from where the Indian position began and counts for, which calls for the immediate conclusion of conflict and resolution to the ongoing situation through tactfulness and dialogue,” he said.
The common statement said “ France reiterates its strong commination of the unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine by Russian Forces” — a unilateral statement showing the divergence between India and France. This is also articulated as the common statements with Germany, Denmark and Nordic countries. But it also said, in a language identical to the common statements with Germany, Denmark and the Nordic countries, “ India and France expressed serious concern at the ongoing conflict and philanthropic extremity in Ukraine. They unequivocally condemned mercenary deaths in Ukraine and called for an immediate conclusion of conflict to bring parties together to promote dialogue and tactfulness to find an immediate end to the suffering of the people. Both countries underscored the need to admire the UN Charter, transnational law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries. The two leaders bandied the indigenous and global counteraccusations of the conflict in Ukraine and agreed to consolidate collaboration on the issue.”
It said India and France express “ deep concern about the current aggravation of global food security and nutrition, formerly impacted by the Covid-19 epidemic, and especially in developing countries They’re committed to enabling a coordinated, multinational response to address the threat of exacerbated food extremity because of the conflict in Ukraine, including through enterprise similar as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission which aims at icing well- performing requests, solidarity and long- term adaptability”. On defence cooperation, the two sides ate violent cooperation across all defence disciplines. They agreed to find “ creative ways” for “ deeper involvement” of French companies in‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ sweats in defence technology, manufacturing and exports.Kwatra said the environment of defence cooperation between India and France is defined by not just trade in different platforms, but also extends toco-development,co-designing,co-manufacturing. “ And I suppose what you also need to keep in mind is that this is also veritably important in sync and in line with our own domestic policy of‘Atma Nirbharta’, which also of course extends veritably explosively to the field of defence,” he said.
The statement also said “ maritime cooperation between India and France has reached new situations of trust and will continue through exercises, exchanges and common endeavours throughout the Indian Ocean“ The six Scorpene submarines erected at MDL in Mumbai illustrate the position of transfer of technology from France to India, in line with the‘ Make in India’ action.”
“ As seen in the timely delivery of the Rafale despite the epidemic, the two sides enjoy community in the field of defence. Taking forward this instigation, and grounded on their collective trust, both sides agreed to find creative ways for France’s deeper involvement in‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’… sweats in advanced defence technology, manufacturing and exports, including through encouraging increased assiduity-to- assiduity hookups,” the common statement said.On the Indo-Pacific, the statement said India and France have “ erected one of the premier strategic hookups for advancing peace, stability and substance in the Indo-Pacific region. They partake a vision of a free, open and rules- grounded Indo-Pacific region, grounded on commitment to transnational law, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, freedom of navigation and a region free from compulsion, pressures and conflicts.”