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India, France agree to cooperate on Indian Ocean Region security (Lead)
New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) After officials of India, the US, Japan and Australia held the first-ever quadrilateral meeting in Manila last week on the security and development of the Indo-Pacific region, India and France on Friday agreed to cooperate on the security architecture of the Indian Ocean Region.
“In terms of maritime security, both sides discussed increasing cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region where the presence of India and France is very important,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in a joint address to the media with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian after delegation-level talks here.
“This cooperation is aimed at ensuring unhindered trade and movement and security of the international sea lanes, fighting maritime terrorism and piracy, creating awareness about the oceanic region, building capacities on regional and international platforms and increasing coordination at the official level,” she said.
Her comments come after Sunday’s India-US-Japan-Australia meeting in the Philippines capital where the officials agreed that “a free, open, prosperous and inclusive” Indo-Pacific served long-term global interests, giving impetus to an emerging quad of democracies amid China’s rising military and economic power.
Le Drian meanwhile said that India and France share a common analysis of major international issues.
“Our bilateral relations must thus be understood as an expression of this common analysis that we have on major global issues, be it combating terrorism, be it the necessary reinforcement of maritime security, be it in cooperation in the Indian Ocean – where France and India are countries belonging to the Indian Ocean Rim. This commonality of views is complete — as we observed this morning – and calls again for the strengthening of our partnership,” he said.
Sushma Swaraj said that in Friday’s talks, both sides discussed all bilateral issues and matters of regional and global concern.
The India-France relationship was elevated to that of a strategic partnership in 1998. India is the only country in Asia with which Paris has such a relationship.
Stating that both India and France were for a multi-polar world, she said that defence and security cooperation, space cooperation and civil nuclear cooperation formed the three pillars of the bilateral relationship.
She said that both sides also agreed to make their military logistics stronger.
“France has been a partner in our space programme from the very beginning,” she said.
“We have together started many projects and have completed many missions. Today, we discussed ways to give a clear shape to our space cooperation.”
In terms of civil nuclear cooperation, the Indian Minister said that both sides agreed on an early start to the work on the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant (JNPP).
French utility EDF and Nuclear Power Corp of India Limited (NPCIL) signed an agreement in March 2016 to construct six reactors of the JNPP, each of 1,650 MW.
Sushma Swaraj said France has supported India’s bid for membership in the UN Security Council and in the Multilateral Export Control Regimes that includes the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement.
“We have also agreed to further strengthen our cooperation, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, in the fight against terrorism,” she said.
“We have appealed to all countries in the world to unitedly oppose those countries which finance and provide safe havens to terrorists,” she said.
On economic ties between India and France, Sushma Swaraj said that with bilateral trade standing at $10.95 billion, there was immense scope to increase this.
There are around 1,000 French companies operating in India with a total turnover of $20 billion and employing around 300,000 people.
Le Drian, here to lay the groundwork for French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India early next year, said that both sides discussed a “wide range of issues” on Friday.
He said France wanted to help India in areas like smart cities, ecomobility and waste management.
Talking about India-France strategic relationship, Le Drian cited the deal for Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarines as as example of the proximity between the two nations.
“I am well placed to know that our defence partnership is significant, as shown through the Rafale and Scorpene projects – to mention only the most emblematic ones. But it is not limited to the acquisition of military assets, it is far broader than that, as exemplified in our cooperation in the Indian Ocean,” he said.
Le Drian, who arrived here on Thursday on a four-day visit to India, will leave for Jaipur on Saturday to inaugurate Bonjour India, a French festival in India that will see around 300 events spread across 33 cities.
Earlier on Friday, the French Minister met Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Ram Kumar Singh.
–IANS
ao/rn
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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