French President Macron in India: France best partner for India
French President Emmanuel Macron is on a four-day visit to India, invited by his Indian counterpart PM Modi. Yesterday, he and his wife Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron were received warmly by Modi at Delhi Airport. Today, after a grand welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the duo held talks to deepen bilateral cooperation in defense, security, trade and investment. They signed 14 agreements. Here are the details.
How has Macron's visit proceeded?
Macron's day began by inspecting the guard of honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was welcomed by President Ram Kovind and PM Modi. There, he claimed that along with a "good chemistry," the India-France have historic ties. He asserted that, "France is the entry point to Europe. We want to be India's best partner there." Later, he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
Subsequently, Macron held talks with Sushma and Modi
Macron's next stop was a meeting with foreign minister Sushma Swaraj. Following that he proceeded to Hyderabad House for bilateral talks with PM Modi. Reportedly, French and Indian companies signed deals worth $16bn. Further, 14 agreements pertaining to the fields of education, environment, urban development and Railways, etc. were signed in the presence of the two leaders. The duo later addressed a joint presser.
Modi: 'Liberty, equality and fraternity embedded in Indian constitution also'
As part of the joint statement, Modi spoke about how they've signed two agreements for education and migration-mobility to improve youth interaction. He added that agreement was also signed for protecting "classified information." Further, Modi welcomed French investment in defense under 'Make in India.' Considering the significance of peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region, the two released a 'Joint strategic vision.'
Macron: 'Defense co-operation between the two now has new significance'
Macron emphasized that France wants to be India's first strategic partner in the western world. He specified that both countries aim to work together to deal with the threats of terrorism and radicalization. He further asserted defense co-operation between the two has a "new significance."
