Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: A very good afternoon to all of you. Please take your seats. Thank you very much for joining us for this special briefing on the occasion of the visit of the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Her Excellency, Catherine Colonna. We have both Ministers on the dias right now. Honourable External Affairs Minister Sir, friends from the media. I would now request, Honourable External Affairs Minister to make the opening remarks.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister: It is a great pleasure to meet all our friends from the media at the conclusion of my talks with Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. I appreciate that she has come to India very soon after assuming this responsibility. I think this is your first bilateral visit to Asia. We have, of course, already been in touch on the phone and we also met on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Bali in July.
As far as our relations with France are concerned, you are all aware that this is a strategic partnership. But perhaps even that term does not entirely capture how close and strong our ties have become in recent years. At the risk of quoting myself, let me underline that India sees France as a major power with a global outlook and an independent mindset. It is central to the emergence of multipolarity. And most important, France has been extremely responsive to India’s concerns and priorities. So in the last three decades, while the world has seen a lot of ups and downs, India’s relationship with France has continued to develop and intensify, holding a steady and clear course and I can say today really we are truly trusted partners. This has been particularly so in the last decade. Prime Minister Modi and President Macron have set high ambitions for our ties and expect them to be realized expeditiously.
It is natural when Foreign Ministers meet that our focus will be on the major international issues of the day. This is particularly so right now, given the turbulence caused by multiple stresses and challenges. Our conversation today covered many such concerns, among them the conflict in Ukraine, the tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the consequences of the Covid pandemic, the developments in Afghanistan and the prospects of the JCPOA. We also explored how our respective interests and that of the international community are better served by stronger India-French collaboration. The French have a long-standing presence on either extremity of the Indo-Pacific. Hearing Minister Colonna’s views and assessments of those regions was truly of great value. We agreed to work towards the establishment of an Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation that would facilitate development projects, especially in the framework of the International Solar Alliance. I should also mention that the ISA now has firmed up projects in three countries which shows really the impact that India and France make together - in Bhutan, In Papua New Guinea and in Senegal. The Indo-Pacific trilateral would also provide a platform for Indian innovations and start-ups to demonstrate their relevance to the requirements of other societies. Our exchange on the perspectives on Africa was also very useful, given India’s expanding footprint in that continent.
France is a key member of the European Union and we naturally discussed advancing the India-EU negotiations on trade, investment and geographical indicators. We welcomed the commencement of the first round of negotiations in this regard. I thanked Minister Colonna for France’s efforts during its Presidency of the EU Council to expedite these processes. On her part, she briefed me about various matters under discussion in the Union, including in the context of Ukraine.
One reflection of the expanding comfort between India and France is the interest in creating trilateral formats with other partners. I had referred earlier to our cooperation on development issues in the Indo-Pacific. We also look forward to the meeting of the India-France-Australia trilateral in New York later in the month with our colleague, Minister Penny Wong. Another trilateral – with the UAE – would also be upgraded to the Ministerial level given the positive feedback we had from the official one.
India and France have a long tradition, a strong tradition of working together in multilateral platforms and on global issues. Currently we serve together in the UN Security Council and our coordination there has been commendable. I would particularly appreciate the clear-cut position France has taken on the challenge of terrorism. I shared with Minister Colonna India’s views and expectations of our forthcoming G20 Presidency.
Foreign Ministers, of course, have the responsibility of integrating various streams of cooperation that they have bilaterally. In the case of India and France, this is truly a formidable task given that we work with each other in so many domains. We did an overall review and I think I can speak for my French counterpart in declaring that we are satisfied with the progress in a range of domains that we discussed – defence, nuclear, space etc. but we expect to step up the tempo.
A few specific issues in our discussions are worth mentioning today. One, we are launching a scheme for the Exchange of Young Professionals in the 18-35 age group as a follow-up to our Migration and Mobility Partnership. Two, we expect the Indo-French Campus on Health that will be taking shape to establish double degree courses to facilitate exchanges and collaboration. Three, I welcomed France to the Raisina Forum for the Future of Diplomacy that will promote networking among young diplomats. Four, I thanked her for making India the country of honour in the Sea Tech Week in Brest that will bring together blue economy stakeholders. And five, we agreed to follow-up on the successful VivaTech Summit 2022 in France where India was the country of the year. We are particularly keen on the launch now of UPI and RuPay facilities.
Overall, I think we had an exceptionally good and productive day. I thank Minister Colonna once again and I would invite her to make her remarks.
Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France: Dear Minister Jaishankar, ladies and gentleman, dear colleagues. I'm extremely happy to be here in India, but I would like to speak in French if you agree. I would like to thank my colleague, Minister Jaishankar for his very warm comments and for having spoken about what we discussed together, everything is extremely in good spirit. I would like to just say a few words to add to what he has already mentioned. You said dear colleague that this is my first bilateral visit in Asia as therefore this visit in India, is a decision that I willingly took. I decided to come here. And of course, because we have a very special partnership between India and France and it is extremely unique. Everything is really exceptional between us. I'll just like to remind you that we are now celebrating the 75th Anniversary of our diplomatic ties. Throughout these decades France and India have stood by each other, even in the worst of times. I think we have never failed in that ever and in the world of today which is uncertain this level of solidarity and trust is really rare and it scarces (inaudible). And for France, it's a very important relationship. I think it was in (inaudible) that we decided to develop a strategic partnership, which is a partnership between equals, it is grounded in our shared drive for a strategic autonomy in service of a multipolar world. So fundamentally Minister Jaishankar and I spoke about not just what we can do together, but the way in the years to come as we know that you know things are developing across the world and we know that things have been quite exceptional in the past few years, the issue of course, of security and defence is something that is very close to us. And I don't think any other country is doing with India, what France has been doing. And we are very proud to be your first and foremost partner. And each one of us knows this, that even in the operational terms, our partnership really has developed tremendously. We've been working in the Indian Ocean as well, which is a great development. We of course have other ambitions. We want to work in the outer space, in the cyber space, in fighting against terrorism. And I like to remind you that we are also very keen on moving forward with the Jaitapur nuclear power plant project, which is making a good progress. And it would be the world's largest nuclear power plant and a boost to India's energy independence and climate goals. So that's a first pillar. The second pillar that I would like to mention here is that our partnership is not limited to just ensuring that our countries cooperate more with each other, but it is also a partnership that aims to serve the international order, which is based on the rule of law. Both our countries are committed to the rule of law and we work as equal partners. And as you know that some of the fundamental principles of the international order have been under attack. You know, that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been a matter of concern, and this is something that concerns the entire world, all the governments of the world not just Ukraine. But we need to also ensure that, you know, because this is an attack by a Permanent Member of the Security Council, a member of the international society. So all the international principles, you know, these core principles and we all believe in these core principles of peaceful coexistence of respecting each other and in looking for peace and stability across the world.
When these core principles are violated or attacked, everything is enfeebled and weakened everywhere. And let's not forget everyone is looking at us, whatever is happening in Ukraine and I want you to just stress upon this point. It's not just something that only concerns Ukraine or just the European continent. This is something that is a very serious issue for the entire global community which is now looking to question the core principles of our international system. Of course we spoke about the Indo-Pacific. France is an Indo-Pacific nation. We are there everywhere. So even in the European Union, we have adopted an Indo-Pacific policy. And although we have been very concerned with Ukraine, that has not made us forget what goes on in the Indo-Pacific, and India is a key partner in this area and we would like the Indo-Pacific region to be an area that is based on a law, on the rights, on peaceful coexistence. And we would like to bring concrete solutions to this region so that we can serve the objective of maritime security, economic cooperation.
We have created an Indo-French fund to support sustainable development for the countries in the Indo-Pacific and beyond France the European Union too, is a stakeholder in this region and we are all together. Rather than doing things separately, we are all working together. Apart from Indo-Pacific and issue of Ukraine, India and France are also working together in other areas, such as in the UN Security Council. The France would be taking over the chairmanship of the UN Security Council. And I'd like to remind you that France has mobilized itself and will continue to mobilize itself so that India can get a permanent membership of the UN Security Council. We know that India will be taking over the Chairmanship or the Presidency of G20 next year. And we will of course, like to support for this upcoming G20 meeting. As you know, we have also together set up the International Solar Alliance and which has now concretized projects in three countries and we will continue to provide a support to the LIFE initiative promoted by the Prime Minister Modi and we will continue to provide our support to this initiative. We also discussed the upcoming G20 Summit which is being chaired by Indonesia and in the manner where France and India can come up with a common initiative to deal with some of the indirect consequences of the Ukraine war, whether it has to do with energy, the price of energy in a general manner, the cost of inflation and the issue of food security in which India too is playing a major role. And the Minister has already said it, but I would still like to mention, we spoke that beyond what our governments do, between two governments we are also working in people to people relationships, whether it is culture, whether it is any other field and whether it is education, we are very keen to receive 20,000 Indian students in France by 2025. And we know that because of the pandemic, things had slowed down a little bit, but we hope that we'll be able to make up for that delay. And there will of course be a centre on health, which will be set up, which is a big campus for health. And France is also opening up a bureau in Hyderabad. We already have four consulates in India, we have several Alliance Francaise. So, we had really fruitful discussions and thanks to the Minister we had excellent talks and I'm really looking forward to meeting him in New York. And I would like to also express my gratitude to the Minister for the hospitality. Thank you very much.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you Excellency. Now we will invite questions from the assembled media persons. Due to time constraint, will limit it to two questions from each side. May I begin with the Indian side. The first question to Mr. Manash from the Press Trust of India.
Manash: This is a question to the French Foreign Minister. This is Manash from Press Trust of India, India’s leading news agency. Ma’am your visit to India has come at a time when we have seen a great geopolitical flux and turmoil and we have seen, actually the renewed concerns from the democratic countries about the situation in the Indo-Pacific, in the backdrop of and especially China's aggressive behaviour. And India is also concerned about Chinese activities along its border, Line of Actual Control. How do you see India's concerns about China's aggressive posturing along its border as well as its overall military muscle flexing in the Indo-Pacific. Thank you so much.
Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France: Thank you very much. I would let Minister Jaishankar reply to you on the second part of the question. I can't speak on behalf of India, but for the first part of your question perhaps we have not stressed it enough in our introductory remarks, but we have spoken a lot about the general situation in the Indo-Pacific and the many challenges that have emerged because of China. We have basically the same analysis. We also share the same concerns. Because we know the kind of the role that the Chinese are playing and we want to make sure that there is no imbalance in the Indo-Pacific nor are we looking for any imbalance of ours elsewhere in the world. So I'm not going to go into all the details. This is a very complex question. But we will of course continue to do the best of that we can, we continue to use diplomacy. We want to make sure that there is balance of powers so that we can continue to support each other so that each of us can develop our own strategic autonomy. But we also like to develop it on behalf of stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific zone, as well as elsewhere. Of course, we need to do more with India, with other partners as well, so that we are more present because you know, France is an Indo-Pacific nation as well as an Indian Ocean nation. So, in terms of aid, we will of course, look at what are the projects on which we can work together. To sum up together let us not leave some of the countries having an exclusive, you know, tete-a-tete or meeting with their Chinese colleagues, we are very much present and we want to be more active so that we can present an alternative to the countries in the Pacific, whether it is in cultural areas, whether it is in development areas or in any other areas, of course, and there's much more that we can do and we'd like to do together.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister: Since the Minister passed on part of the question to me, even though you addressed it to her. Look on the Indo-Pacific let me just say that it's important for likeminded countries, countries which have a similar view, who can work together to contribute to ensuring peace, stability, security, prosperity, progress there, and we consider France very much an Indo-Pacific player and also a country which has a longstanding presence in the Indian Ocean. So that is also something that we specifically discussed. Regarding the question on the border you know, you've heard me speak many times about the border. I don't think I would say anything new there today, except I would recognize that we've had disengagement at PP15, the disengagement, as I understand was completed and that is one problem less on the border.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Next Carole Dieterich from Le Monde.
Carole Dieterich: This is a question for Madam Minister. What do you think of the multi (inaudible) strategy that has been developed by your predecessor especially with regard to Ukraine?
Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France: I think in this regard also a part of the answer can be given by my counterpart, if he would like to do so. I'm not so sure that I have really understood the two parts of your question. We live in a multipolar world and this is nothing new. We have always believed in multi polarity, of course we continue to work on uni-polarity, bipolarity and so on. And each of our nations because of their history, because of their experience, but also by willingness and we believe in this value because we live in a world that is not limited to just relationships between two countries or to a group of countries. It's a world where many are involved. It’s a world where we speak of plurality of relationships. And as I've said before that we don't believe in isolation or working or doing things by ourselves. We believe in a balance of power. We believe in working with each other.
As far as Ukraine is concerned my answer will be briefer. I'm not talking about analysis of the responsibilities of this war. We know who the aggressor was. And we know there was a country whose rights were violated. So, we are well aware of that. But there is a difference in the way we look at it, we know our histories and we know the history of India's relationship with Russia, but that does not prevent us to have the same analysis of the causes, what we can do to deal with some of the consequences and what we need to say to the Russian President i.e. this conflict has to come to an end and we have to come back to respecting human rights and each other's rights. I think neither of us, and I'm speaking of the Ukrainians or the Russian, they need to look for the dialogue, but our efforts especially the discussions that the President of France has with the President of Russia, that we need to think of another way of trying to resolve our differences, because despite the difficulties we may have with our neighbours, we need to look for other solutions and we cannot just start a war to resolve all our problems.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister: If I can just add, I think the world is multipolar. The world is becoming more multipolar. We think it's a good thing. And we believe that so does France. Regarding Ukraine, we discussed it in some detail today. I think what is important is that there should be a return to dialogue and diplomacy. And if you look at the world among the major countries of the world, two leaders who have been regularly engaging both sides there to the conflict are Prime Minister Modi and President Macron. So, I think the end objective which is a return to the negotiating table is something that we share.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you sir. The next question from Rezaul Hasan from Hindustan Times.
Rezaul Hasan: Thank you Ministers. Quick question to you both. I mean, you mentioned Madam Minister about food security and energy prices. Are you coming out with any new ideas on how you're going to tackle the fallout of the Ukraine conflict? And if I may quickly ask you another thing, you also mentioned counter-terrorism cooperation; France and India have worked very closely together on issues like designations. What do both the Ministers think of such efforts being constantly stymied at the UNSC by one country?
Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France: Thank you very much. With regard to the consequences of the war that you just mentioned, food security and the high cost of food, I would like to remind you that it's not the sanctions that are creating these issues. Neither are they leading to the food security issue, nor are they leading to the food crisis. These have been created by Russia's war on Ukraine, but we have tried to deal with some of the negative consequences of this war. Especially with regard to the food security we have tried to ensure that the food which has been coming from Ukraine is essential for many countries, many countries have been dependent on these cereals so we have tried to see that the exports continue. We have also initiated a project called Farm, which was initiated by France and which has been taken over by the EU. With this, we try to ensure there is transparency in the markets so that prices remain reasonable in the markets. I have also spoken in broader terms, but we need to perhaps give a more concrete shape to this, that perhaps we can do that when we meet in G20 and visit, perhaps an initiative that can be proposed to the G20 so that we can provide some support to the most vulnerable countries and they don't remain too exposed to these food security issues. There's a lot that we can do and that we have decided that we'll do that very quickly. I think if not at the G20, perhaps, so when the President of France will visit India.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister: A very quickly on food security you know India has always supported all international initiatives to improve food security, especially in the context of Ukraine, and we will continue to do so. Regarding the listing where India and France have cooperated for many years, look, the listing of terrorists is done because terrorists are a threat to the entire international community. So it is not something which countries necessarily do in pursuit of a narrow national agenda. And if somebody blocks listing particularly in cases where the merits of going ahead are very apparent, I think they do so frankly at peril to their own interest and to their own reputation.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you sir. I think we are running out of time. We had one more question, but I think Honourable Ministers have to leave for the briefing. Should we? So we'll keep it brief. We have Sebastian Francis, please quickly. And if you could keep it very brief.
Sebastian Francis: Hello. Ma’am India is one of the major actors in the Indo-Pacific. Does France envisage becoming a partner of the ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific also?
Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France: We are observers in the ASEAN, (inaudible) if I'm not mistaken.
Sebastian Francis: Does France plan to become part of the ASEAN or work with them closely?
Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France: Were you able to hear the response given by our Director, we have a partnership. There was no mic, so we could not hear.
Speaker 1: ASEAN is a group of nations which has no plans of expanding itself. It has special partnerships with other countries and regions. Today France is a development partner of the ASEAN. We would like to, may take our relationships forward with the ASEAN, and once that is done we will have a, perhaps a dialogue partnership and why not a strategic partnership in the years to come, but you know not to join in the nearest future. Thank you.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you Ministers for this. And that brings us to the end of this press interaction. Thank you. Good evening.