India with France: Modi, Macron discuss civil nuclear energy, defence, food security

France’s President Emmanuel Macron with  India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi t the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on  May 4, 2022.  Conveying India’s solidarity with France in dealing with the ongoing drought and wildfires, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and discussed ways to expand cooperation in handling geopolitical challenges such as global food security. “Spoke to my friend President Emmanuel Macron today. Conveyed India’s solidarity with France in dealing with the devastating wildfires,” PM Modi tweeted after his conversation with Mr Macron on August 16. The two leaders also reviewed ongoing bilateral initiatives including defence cooperation projects and cooperation in civil nuclear energy, said Prime Minister Modi’s Office in a statement. “They also discussed important geopolitical challenges including those related to global food security,” the PMO said in a statement. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the depth and strength that the India-France Strategic Partnership has acquired in recent years and agreed to continue working closely together to expand the relationship to new areas of cooperation, PMO added. In his Independence Day greetings to India, Mr Macron had said, “As you proudly celebrate India’s stupendous achievements over the past 75 years, you can trust that France will always be by your side.” “Ours is a bilateral partnership for global good,” PM Modi had tweeted in a reply.