PM speaks to French Prez Macron, both pledge to maintain 'close consultations'

New Delhi: In a significant development in a strategic and diplomatic sense, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held tele-conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.

"The leaders agreed to maintain close and regular consultations, in the spirit of the India-France Strategic Partnership, which both countries cherish deeply," an MEA release said.

Both the two leaders discussed regional issues including recent developments in Afghanistan. 

"In this context, they shared their concerns about possible spread of terrorism, narcotics, illicit weapons and human trafficking, as well as the need to ensure human rights, rights of women and minorities" the release said.

Both Modi and Macron reviewed the increasing bilateral collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region, and the important role that the India-France partnership plays in promoting "stability and security in the region".

A White House official, however, said that the US regrets France’s decision and will continue to be engaged in the coming days to resolve differences between the two countries.

France has cancelled India-Australia-France trilateral meet of Foreign ministers at the UN in New York later this week.

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However, External Affairs Minister his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian will meet bilaterally.

Jean-Yves Le Drian and Dr Jaishankar also agreed during a call to deepen their 
strategic partnership, “based on a relationship of political trust between two great sovereign nations of the Indo-Pacific”, the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The phone call between two foreign ministers had came a day after the French government recalled its envoys to the United States and Australia.

Prime Minister Modi will be reaching Washington on Sept 22 for a series of bilateral and multi-lateral engagements including with Australian and Japanese Prime Ministers and US President Joe Biden.

Mr Modi will address UNGA on September 25. 

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