India-France discusses global security environment and scope of defence cooperation

New Delhi: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Diplomatic Adviser to the President of France, Emmanuel Bonne, co-chaired the annual India-France Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi yesterday. During the Strategic Dialogue, India and France reiterated their commitment to take forward their strategic partnership to ensure peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific based on common beliefs in the rules-based international order and strategic autonomy. 

The two sides discussed the global security environment. They discussed expanding the scope of defence cooperation to include the co-development of futuristic technologies in line with India's priorities of Make in India and Atmanirbhar



Bharat. The agenda included discussions on the situation in Afghanistan, Africa, South East Asia, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, nuclear energy, space and cyber domains. 

Both sides also agreed to strengthen bilateral defence and security cooperation including in the South West Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific and pursuit of new initiatives in critical and emerging technologies.

Both sides reiterated that in view of the emerging uncertainties and volatile global security environment, there was a need for closer cooperation between India and France, including in the UNSC and other multilateral forums.