New Delhi

Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser, and Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the Republic of France co-chaired the annual India-France Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on 05 January 2023.

Bonne also met Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister.

During the Strategic Dialogue and the meetings, India and France reiterated their commitment to take forward their strategic partnership to ensure peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific based on common beliefs in the rules-based international order and strategic autonomy.

The two sides discussed the global security environment, expanding the scope of defense cooperation to include the co-development of futuristic technologies in line with India's priorities of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The agenda included discussions on the situation in Afghanistan, Africa, South East Asia, Eurasia; Third Country Cooperation; cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, nuclear energy, space, and cyber domains.

Both sides also agreed to strengthen bilateral defense and security cooperation including in the South West Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific and pursuit of new initiatives in critical and emerging technologies.

Both sides reiterated that given the emerging uncertainties and volatile global security environment, there was a need for closer cooperation between India and France, including in the UNSC and other multilateral forums.