Prime Minister Modi with French President Macron.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took part in a car ride with French President Emmanuel Macron as the two leaders traveled to the Indo-France Innovation Forum after holding bilateral and delegation-level talks in Mumbai. Macron posted a photo of the two leaders in the car with the caption, “Jay Ho.”
Prime Minister Modi said that after the talks and press releases at Lok Bhavan, they were moving towards further engagements, including the innovation forum. During the visit, India and France upgraded their relations to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” and pledged to expand cooperation in the areas of defence, trade and vital minerals. The two leaders described the relationship as a “force for global stability” amid growing geopolitical uncertainty. Following the talks, the leaders also inaugurated a virtual assembly line in Vimagal, Karnataka state for the manufacturing of H125 helicopters by Airbus, a move expected to boost India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem. The two sides signed 21 agreements and documents aimed at expanding cooperation across sectors such as critical minerals, defence, advanced technology, renewable energy and healthcare. The main agreements included a defense cooperation agreement and a joint venture between Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran to manufacture Hummer missiles in India.
Another agreement provides for the mutual deployment of officers between the Indian Army and the French ground forces.Prime Minister Modi hosted Macron for the talks hours after the French President arrived in Mumbai on a three-day visit to India. “The world is going through a period of uncertainty. In such an environment, the Indo-France partnership is a force for global stability. We combine France’s expertise with India’s scale,” Prime Minister Modi said in his media statement. Describing France as one of India’s oldest strategic partners, he said both sides have infused their relationship with “unprecedented depth and energy”. “Based on this trust and shared vision, we today establish our relationship as a ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership,’” Prime Minister Modi said, adding that the partnership supports global stability and progress. Referring to the helicopter project, Prime Minister Modi said the assembly line reflects deep mutual trust. He noted that the helicopter can operate at extreme altitudes, including near Mount Everest, and will be exported globally. He added: “In other words, the Indo-French partnership knows no borders, and can reach from the depths of the oceans to the highest mountains.”
