The Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. The two ministers largely focused on preparing ground for French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India next month to participate in the AI Summit. Meanwhile, Jaishankar’s visit to France comes against the backdrop of growing global concerns over the US’ capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a military operation. 

Jaishankar noted that ‘India and France working together has become important to stabilise global politics’. Further, emphasizing the importance of the talks, he mentioned the larger context of ‘considerable global uncertainty’, and said it is natural for strategic partners to consult ‘very closely’ in such a situation. He has highlighted that the two nations committed to multi-polarity with India chairing the BRICS and France helming the G7 this year, meanwhile, both countries being part of the G20 grouping.

he emphasized that the France is amongst Indian oldest strategic partners and the first in Europe and said that ‘continuous conversation is an important part of nurturing that relationship’. Besides, the minister mentioned about Macron’s upcoming visit to India. Last year in February Prime Minister Narendra Modi had co-chaired the AI Summit along with Macron in Paris.