MODI AND MACRON FAST-TRACK STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH PRC

The two leaders reviewed the new India-France Indo-Pacific Roadmap, giving fresh directions on how to expedite efforts to implement the same.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron had intensive discussions during the latter’s visit. A key focus was on refining the Indo-Pacific strategy of both sides in view of the changing situation in the region. With the increasingly aggressive behaviour of China in mind, India and France have decided to expedite efforts to strengthen “plurilateral” arrangements with more countries in the Indo-Pacific region. New Delhi and Paris are already working with Australia and UAE for this purpose. Now the two countries will focus on reaching out to several new nations as part of the joint strategy to deal with the various security and strategic issues and challenges in the Indo-Pacific amid Beijing’s increasing expansionism in the region.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the strategy during bilateral talks here in New Delhi during which the new India-France Indo-Pacific Roadmap was reviewed and new directions were given," highly-placed diplomatic sources told The Sunday Guardian.