Modi and Macron are particularly anxious as China extended its military presence by opening a naval base in the eastern African nation of Djibouti last year
India and France on Saturday released a vision document to join hands to safeguard peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region and decided to strengthen defence cooperation including logistics arrangement besides adding new momentum to the fight against terrorism and concluding a civil nuclear agreement.
The two sides signed 14 agreements, including in the areas of space cooperation and high speed railways, following bilateral talks led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron here.
"Both of us agree that the Indian Ocean region will play a significant role in the future for the peace, prosperity and development of the world," Modi said in a joint address to the media along with Macron following the talks."Whether it be environment, maritime security and resources, freedom of navigation or overflight, we are committed to strengthen our cooperation," Modi stated in an oblique reference to China's expanionist designs in the Indian Ocean Region.
Modi said the two countries were releasing a Joint Strategic Vision for cooperation in the Indian Ocean region in what can be seen as a counterweight to China given Beijing's increasing influence in the region.
The leaders appreciated the deepening interactions in the maritime domain for enhanced cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.In that context, they welcomed the "Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region”, as a guiding beacon for such partnership.The leaders reiterated that this cooperation will be crucial in order to maintain the safety of international sea lanes for unimpeded commerce and communications in accordance with the international law, for countering maritime terrorism and piracy, for building maritime domain awareness, for capacity building and for greater coordination in regional/international fora in the region.
Eyeing to expand their defence cooperation two sides signed Agreement "for the provision of reciprocal logistics support between their Armed Forces, which seeks to extend logistical support on reciprocal access to respective facilities for Indian and French armed forces" The agreement is symbolic of the strategic depth and maturity reached in India-France defence ties.
The Prime Minister said that an agreement for provision of reciprocal logistics support between the armed forces between the two countries signed on Friday was a golden step towards close defence cooperation.
The two sides also signed agreement on "Exchange and Reciprocal Protection of Classified or Protected Information” reflecting the high level of strategic trust between the two countries.Both sides also agreed to create an annual defence dialogue at the ministerial level.
"We share a deep defence relationship and we see France as one of our most trusted partners in this area," the Indian PM said referring to expanding defence ties."All services of our defence forces regularly hold discussions and conduct joint exercises.We have strong ties in defence equipment and production.We welcome France's commitment to Make in India in the defence sector."
The two leaders acknowledged that the Make-in-India initiative offers a valuable opportunity for Indian and French defence enterprises to enter into arrangements for co-development and co-production of defence equipment in India, including through transfer of know-how and technologies to the mutual benefit of all parties.In this context, the leaders welcomed various joint ventures between Indian and French companies and reaffirmed their commitment to facilitate the establishment of new ones.
On his part, Macron said that both France and India are giving a new momentum in their strategic partnership against terror.Both leaders also affirmed that terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds whatsoever it may be and it should not be associated with any religion, creed, nationality and ethnicity.
The two leaders called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and their financing channels, and halting cross-border movement of terrorists like Al Qaeda, Daesh/ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammed, HizbulMujahideen, Lashkar-e-Tayabba, and their affiliates as well as terrorist groups threatening peace and security in South Asia and the Sahel region.
The two sides also signed Industrial Way Forward Agreement between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd, and EDF, France to take forward their civil nuclear cooperation.This agreement prescribes a way forward for the implementation of the Jaitapur nuclear power project.Once installed, the Jaitapur project will be the largest nuclear power plant in the world, with a total capacity of 9.6 GW.It will contribute, in addition to renewable energy, to achieving India’s goal of 40% non-fossil energy by 2030.
Macron arrived here on Friday on a four-day visit to India during the course of which he and Modi will co-chair the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which was launched by the Indian Prime Minister and then French President Francois launched during the Paris climate summit in 2015.During the course of his stay in India, the French President will also visit Agra and Varanasi where he will inaugurate a solar power plant built by a French company.
Macron presents Modi an original copy of the first translation of the Bhagavad Gita
In a special gesture, the French President Emmanuel Macron presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi an original copy of the first translation of the Bhagavad Gita that had been done by the French Indologist Emile Senart in 1922.After official talks at the Hyderabad house, the French President explained to Prime Minister Modi the efforts that had been made by the French side to contact Emile Senart’s grandchild who had this copy and who graciously agreed to part with it for presentation by President Macron.
On his part, Prime Minister Modi explained his gift to President Macron: a kota-stone replica statue of Surya inspired by the bas relief temple sculptures made during the Pala dynasty period of 8-10th century in eastern India, symbolic of the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance being co-hosted by France and India.