India, France ink key security deal
BONHOMIE Pacts also signed in space, clean energy fields NEW DELHI:
India and France strengthened their 20-year-old strategic partnership on Saturday, signing an agreement for reciprocal logistics support between their armed forces and unveiling a blueprint to step up cooperation in the Indian Ocean to counter China’s growing influence in the region .
The two countries signed 14 agreements , ranging from cooperation in security and space to clean energy, after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on the second day of the latter’s four-day visit to India,
The focus of the visit is as much on building a personal rapport between the two leaders as it is on stepping up the Indo-French defence and security partnership. Modi spoke about the warm reception Macron gave him when he travelled to Paris last year.
“You welcomed me in Paris last year with an open heart and a lot of warmth. I am happy that I have got an opportunity to welcome you in India,” Modi said.
Macron, who was 39 when he became president in 2017, making him the youngest French leader since Napoleon Bonaparte, spoke about his “very good chemistry” with Modi.
“I consider today’s agreement of the reciprocal logistics support between our armies as a golden step in the history of our close defence cooperation,” Modi said in a statement to the media after his meeting with Macron.”Second, both of us believe that in future the Indian Ocean region will play a very important role in the happiness, progress and prosperity of the world.”