India and France to build strong development partnership: Swaraj

Paris: India and France are working to shape a strong development partnership, including in the fields of science and technology, clean energy and infrastructure, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said as she met the country’s top leadership and discussed issues of mutual interest from a strategic perspective.

Swaraj, who arrived here from Rome yesterday on the second leg of her four-nation tour, called on French President Emmanuel Macron and discussed follow up to the understandings reached during his visit to India in March this year.

She also met her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian and the two leaders held in-depth and constructive discussions on full range of bilateral relationship, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

“Our trade, capital and technology partnerships are registering impressive growth. Bilateral trade touched Euros 9.85 billion (or 745.69₹ billion) last year. But, we need to do more to reach the set target of trade in goods to 15 billion Euros by 2022,” Swaraj was quoted as saying by Kumar.

“India and France are also working to shape a strong development partnership, including in the fields of smart urbanisation, science & technology, clean energy, transportation, and infrastructure sectors,” she said.

She said the visits of Prime Minister Modi to France in April 2015 and June 2017 and Macron to India have infused new momentum and dynamism to bilateral strategic partnership, brought about increased political convergence and built deep mutual trust.

Swaraj also met Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to Macron, and exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest from a strategic perspective. India and France are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership.