India, France have strong strategic partnership, want to bring peace, stability in world: French Min

French Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna on Wednesday said India and France have strong strategic partnership for the last 25 years and want to bring peace and stability to the world.

"It is my first visit as a minister to India but not my first visit to India. But I wanted to choose India as my first visit as a minister in the Asian zone. So, that's a deliberate choice. The reason is that France and India have had a strong partnership with its strategic partnership for the past 25 years almost. We've achieved a lot. We want to bring some peace and stability to this world," Colonna told ANI.

French Foreign Minister elaborated that India and France work together not only on defence, and security but also on global issues and would like to do more.

"We work together not only on defence security but also on global issues. We'd like to do more and that's the sense of visit. I'm just starting the visit. We'll see some of your (Indian) ministers. Honoured to be received later today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Minister told while talking about her visit.

She also revealed that a meeting between President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Modi can take place soon and said, "We have a lot of ambition. My President and Prime Minister Modi met last May and then will meet soon, I'm sure we're building on an existing very good relationship already."

France's Foreign Minister is on a three-day visit from Tuesday, during which she will meet PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval and discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

On Thursday, Colonna will also travel to Mumbai for engagements with industry leaders and site visits.

(ANI)

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