Rajnath to co-chair Annual Defence Dialogue with French counterpart

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will co-chair 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu during the latter’s three-day visit to India from 26-28 November.

The visiting French Minister shall also meet External Affair Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
This is the first visit of Sebastien Lecornu as French Minister of Armed Forces to India.
“As part of our Annual Defence Dialogue, Minister Lecornu will hold wide-ranging talks with his counterpart Rajnath Singh, spanning all aspects of our defence cooperation, including operational defence ties, counter-terrorism, maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, and industrial and technological partnerships in line with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat policy,” the Embassy of France informed here.
The French statement further stated that Lecornu, during talks with External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar, will discuss global issues of common concern, including the situation in Europe and in the Indo-Pacific, and will convey France’s full support for India’s Presidency of the G20, which is beginning on December 1.
“Minister Lecornu will also meet Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, for discussions on regional security issues and our close cooperation in combating terrorism,” the French statement read.
Lecornu is also scheduled to visit Headquarters Southern Naval Command at Kochi.
In Kochi on November 27, Minister Lecornu will visit INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier. He will take his opportunity to highlight the importance of Indo-French naval cooperation for security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the French Embassy said.
Lecornu will also visit the National War Memorial to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty.
India and France have close and friendly relations. In 1998, the two countries entered into Strategic Partnership, marking convergence of their views on a range of international issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship.
India and France are partners in defence and armaments, contributing to India’s policy of strategic autonomy in the defence sector through numerous industrial cooperation.
The French Minister’s visit to India reaffirms France’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific and India’s centrality in the French strategy for the region, the French statement read. (UNI)