While not naming China, French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said India and France are stronger together against any form of threat.
Responding to a query regarding the panic that has been seen in China since the arrival of France's most dangerous nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, Lenain said India and France had great cooperation and are working together to tackle common challenges.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, the French Ambassador to India said, "Well, with India we have great cooperation. We have been training, as you just mentioned. We had a great naval exercise called Varuna where our two navies year after year learnt how to be even more interoperable, to work together, and to be able to tackle common challenges. And that's just the spirit of partnership between our two countries. I mean, we feel that we are stronger together against any form of threat."
Talking about the relationship that India and France share, Lenain said, "The relationship between friends and India is just outstanding and excellent. There's a lot of trust of confidence at every level, obviously between our leaders, but all over the board. And it allows us to do some great cooperation, to share technology, to share joint projects, to be more autonomous and we have a lot of value in that."
He also said France, for years, has been sharing its best technologies with India and now it was entering a new phase where it will be even more about code development, working together on the next system, and the next technologies and the two countries are very much ready and willing to do that.
On the bilateral ties between India and France, Lenain said, "Well, for me it's a great joy. You know how French people are attached to food, to hospitality, to this... And so when we can share it with friends abroad and obviously India, given the ties we have with India, India the connoisseurs we have in India, the same passion for life, I think it's a wonderful experience. And this corner blue has been working here and with Goenka University for more than ten years. It's a very positive, fruitful collaboration. So I'm very happy to see that relationship between India and France."
France and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the signature of the Indo-French Strategic Partnership.
France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs on Thursday said the two countries must use this opportunity to write a new chapter in their strategic partnership in all fields.
"Today, on the occasion of India's Republic Day, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the signature of the Indo-French Strategic Partnership," France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson said on Thursday, according to a press briefing issued on the Embassy of France in Washington D.C's website.
A concrete example of the increasing India-French cooperation across spheres was illustrated by the stop made by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in Goa last weekend, following the joint Indo-French exercise 'Varuna'.
The two countries have also developed a partnertship in a wide range of strategic fields, ranging from submarines to combat aviation and climate change, via the International Solar Alliance, the ministry spokesman said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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