India-France Joint Statement Highlights Bilateral Meeting during G-20 Leaders’ Summit
New Delhi, September 10, 2023 – During the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting over lunch with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. The meeting, which took place on September 10, 2023, served as a platform for the two leaders to assess and review the progress in bilateral relations since their previous encounter in July 2023 in Paris. They also engaged in discussions about significant international and regional developments.
President Macron’s visit to India followed Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to Paris on July 13-14, 2023, where he was the Guest of Honour during the French National Day celebrations. This visit commemorated the 25th anniversary of the India-France strategic partnership.
Recognizing the robustness of the India-France partnership, built upon deep trust, shared values, a commitment to sovereignty and strategic autonomy, adherence to international law and UN Charter principles, belief in multilateralism, and a joint pursuit of a stable multi-polar world, both leaders emphasized the need to expand their collaboration to tackle regional and global challenges. They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to jointly contribute as a force for good, promoting the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘one earth, one family, one future,’ especially during these transformative times in the global order.
With recent milestones like the ‘Horizon 2047’ Roadmap and the Indo-Pacific Roadmap, as well as other outcomes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, serving as reference points, the two leaders discussed the overall progress and next steps for the implementation of ambitious cooperation goals. These encompass areas such as defense, space, nuclear energy, digital public infrastructure, critical technology, climate change, education, and people-to-people contacts. Additionally, they furthered their discussions on India-France collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa, covering infrastructure, connectivity, energy, biodiversity, sustainability, and industrial projects. Both leaders underscored their roles as solution providers for the Indo-Pacific through their cooperation within the framework of the International Solar Alliance, initiated by India and France, and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
President Macron extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Modi for the success of Mission Chandrayaan 3. The two leaders reflected on six decades of India-France space cooperation and reviewed developments since the inaugural Strategic Space Dialogue in June 2023. They also acknowledged the strong civil nuclear ties between the two nations, making progress in discussions related to the Jaitapur nuclear plant project. They welcomed ongoing engagement to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in co-developing SMR (Small Modular Reactor) and AMR (Advanced Modular Reactor) technologies, with the forthcoming signing of a dedicated declaration of intent. France reiterated its unwavering support for India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthening defense cooperation by partnering in the design, development, testing, and manufacturing of advanced defense technologies and platforms. They also emphasized the expansion of production in India, including for third-party countries in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. In this context, they called for the prompt finalization of the Defense Industrial Roadmap.
Highlighting areas such as digital transformation, scientific and technological innovation, education, culture, health, and environmental cooperation, both leaders emphasized the need to strengthen institutional linkages in these domains, following the model of the Indo-French Campus for the Indo-Pacific. They reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cultural exchanges and collaborating on museum development.
Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to President Macron for France’s continued support of India’s G-20 Presidency, which has promoted inclusivity, unity, and cohesion in international efforts to address global challenges and foster a more stable global order. India and France also welcomed the African Union’s membership in the G-20 and expressed their readiness to collaborate with the AU for the progress, prosperity, and development of Africa.
