Jaishankar meets Macron in Paris

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday called on French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, amid escalating tension between Russia and Western powers over the Ukraine crisis.

The external affairs minister said he conveyed to Macron Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings and that the discussions reflected the “full spirit” of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In a tweet, Jaishankar said both sides will cooperate closely in the Indo-Pacific.

“Delighted to call on President @EmmanuelMacron of France. Conveyed greetings of PM @narendramodi. Our discussions reflected the full spirit of our strategic partnership. We will cooperate closely in the Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar tweeted.

The external affairs minister arrived in Paris on Sunday on a three-day trip after paying a two-day visit to Germany.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar also chaired a meeting in Paris of Indian ambassadors in Europe.

“Chaired a meeting of our EU Ambassadors in Paris today. Comprehensive discussion on issues currently faced by Indian foreign policy. Appreciated the strong commitment of all our Embassies to assist Indians and our diaspora during the Covid period,” he tweeted.

The minister said he exhorted the ambassadors to contribute to India’s development and service to the public.

On the first day of his visit to Paris, Jaishankar held extensive talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian covering a range of bilateral and global issues including the situation in Afghanistan and the Ukraine crisis.

In an address at a leading think-tank on Tuesday, Jaishankar said India’s ties with France is based on a great sense of trust and it is a relationship that has been free from sudden shifts and surprises that is seen in other cases.

He said India sees France as a trusted collaborator in countering security challenges from the seabed to space and from cyber to oceans.

“Through the tumult of our times, India’s relations with France have continued to move forward on a steady and clear course. It is a relationship that has been free from sudden shifts and surprises that we sometimes see in other cases,” Jaishankar said at the French Institute of International Relations.

“In India, there is a great sense of trust and confidence in the relationship. It is deeply institutionalised and benefits from a strong political consensus on its importance. I believe that we have seen the same here in France,” he said. (PTI)