Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a phone call today with H. E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.

Prime Minister Modi thanked President Macron for the assistance rendered by France to India’s Covid response. The leaders discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, and expressed their satisfaction at the positive outcomes of the recently concluded India-EU Leaders’ Meeting. Both the leaders agreed that the announcements regarding resumption of negotiations for balanced and comprehensive free trade and investment agreements, and India-EU Connectivity Partnership were welcome steps.

Spoke to my dear friend President @EmmanuelMacron. I thanked him for France’s prompt assistance to India’s COVID-19 response. We also discussed bilateral, regional and global issues, including cooperation in climate action and Indo-Pacific.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 26, 2021

The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the depth and strength that the India-France Strategic Partnership has acquired in recent years and agreed to continue working closely together in the post-COVID era.

Prime Minister Modi also reiterated his invitation to President Macron to visit India as soon as conditions permit. PIB

French Statement

Elysée Palace, 26 May 2021

The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, spoke on telephone with the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on 26 May.

The French President reiterated the support and solidarity of the French people in the context of a particularly deadly epidemic wave in India. To respond to this emergency of exceptional magnitude, France launched an unprecedented solidarity operation, initiated on 1 May with the delivery of eight oxygen generator plants and medical equipment, and which is continuing in the form of supplying oxygen containers.

This “air and sea bridge”, carried out with the support of French companies, will include a fresh delivery of oxygen generator plants in the coming weeks, thus contributing to boosting Indian hospitals’ capabilities lastingly.

President Macron reiterated the importance of ACT-A, including the COVAX facility, to strengthen multilateral approach to the production, sale and donation of vaccines.

President Macron and Prime Minister Modi agreed to deepen the Indo-French strategic partnership in defence, civil nuclear energy, the environment and maritime issues, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

The President of the French Republic welcomed India’s decision to join the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, a decisive initiative in view of the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille and the COP15 in Kunming. On climate, France and India reiterated their support for the International Solar Alliance.

The President of the French Republic stressed the importance of gender equality, particularly in the run-up to the Generation Equality Forum.