Modi to meet French President to cement India-France ties

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INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to Europe from May 2 to May 6 to have bilateral meetings with re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz apart from addressing the key India-Nordic summit in Copenhagen.

With Macron getting re-elected as French President for the second term with a resounding vote, PM Modi is expected to drop by in Paris to meet and greet the leader of one of India’s closest bilateral partners.

Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron on being re-elected as the President of France! I look forward to continue working together to deepen the India-France Strategic Partnership.

India and France have very close political and defense relationships with both sides willing to assist each other in areas of critical and emerging technologies apart from having similar views on the Indo-Pacific.

Being strategic partners, India and France are expected to move ahead on Atmanirbhar Bharat project of PM Modi by manufacturing air independent propulsion submarines and high thrust aircraft engines in India apart from mapping the Indian Ocean bed.

PM Modi and President Macron also have personal relations with each other and the latter understands the Indian position on the Ukraine war over Russia.

With Russia continuing its Ukraine campaign relentlessly, the war in Europe will be on top of the agenda of PM Modi’s visit with Nordic countries and Germany also thinking twice about their stance on Moscow. Germany in particular has been a huge trade partner to both Russia and China but the Ukraine war and the new Chancellor has made Bonn think about its national security.

While PM Modi will push for closer bilateral relations with Nordic countries with a repaired relationship with host Denmark, investment, clean technologies and trade will be high on the agenda. Unlike in the past, the Nordic countries also want to have close ties with India.

While the exact date and time of PM Modi’s meetings are work in progress, the Indian leader will try to rekindle the bilateral relationship with German Chancellor Scholz.

Under the Angela Merkel regime, Germany had forged very close trade ties with China by selling high end automobiles to Beijing and still has a huge oil and gas relationship with Russia. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been a game changer with Germany deciding to increase its defence expenditure and buy fighter jets from the US for its air defence. (Hindustan Times)