India and France are working together to uphold international law, said External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and emphasised that the two nations were seeking to deepen their partnership.
Speaking at the French Institute of International Relations on 'How India sees France', the minister said there is a clear need to intensify the conversation between and with the strategic communities in both countries."
He made these remarks in Paris on Tuesday, a day after holding a bilateral meeting with French Foreign Minister Le Drian, Defence Minister Parly. Jaishankar said that these engagements captured the strategic priorities that provide a compelling framework for a "truly unique" partnership between India and France.
Amid the geopolitical, geo-economic and technological changes, the minister said all nations are reappraising priorities, strategies, relationships and even strategic geography in response to these developments.
The External Affairs Minister said India has regarded France as a global power for a variety of reasons. "Obviously, one of them is a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. But in addition, France had a footprint and an influence in far corners of the world and weighed in on key global issues," he added.
What was noteworthy, Jaishankar said was that despite being a member of an alliance, France has never hesitated to voice its own positions. "In the UN Security Council and other international forums, France has been reliable, strong and a consistent partner of India. Our synergies have enabled us, for example, to be more effective in mobilising UN action against terrorism and terrorist groups."