India, France agree to intensify cooperation in Southwest Indian Ocean

NEW DELHI: India and France have agreed to intensify cooperation in the Southwest Indian Ocean, building on the joint surveillance missions carried out from the French island territory of La Reunion in 2020 and 2022.

The two countries also welcomed the extension of those interactions in India's maritime neighbourhood.

These interactions may contribute positively to the securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication, according to the India-France Joint Statement following French President Emmanuel Macron's India visit for the Republic Day celebrations.

Prime Minister Modi and French President Macron reiterated their commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region.

The leaders emphasised the region's significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.

They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure, and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.

As per the joint statement, the defence and security partnership has been the cornerstone of the India-France partnership in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes a comprehensive range of bilateral, multinational, regional, and institutional initiatives, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.

PM Modi and French President Macron committed to revitalising the trilateral cooperation with Australia, deepening the one with UAE and exploring new ones in the region, the statement said.

Noting the importance of joint and multilateral initiatives, for supporting sustainable economic development, human welfare, environmental sustainability, resilient infrastructure, innovation and connectivity in the region, the two leaders asked their governments to identify concrete projects.

Furthermore, the two leaders called for the early launching of the Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation Fund to facilitate the scaling up of green technologies being developed in the region, as per the joint statement.

They agreed to explore opportunities for coordinating economic projects and programmes in the Pacific.

Both leaders acknowledged projects being carried out by the French Development Agency in India.