NEW DELHI: Following discussions with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that India and France had decided to cooperate toward creating an Indo-Pacific trilateral development partnership that would facilitate development projects.

Speaking with Colonna during a joint press conference, Jaishankar said their conversations included topics including the conflict in Ukraine, the tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Afghanistan, and the chances for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

In particular, Jaishankar said, "We agreed to work toward the establishment of an Indo-Pacific trilateral development partnership that would facilitate development projects." He said,   the ISA already has initiatives in place in three nations, demonstrating the difference India and France can make when working together in Senegal, Papua New Guinea, and Bhutan.

EAM Jaishankar said, the Indo-Pacific trilateral will give Indian startups and innovators a platform to show how they are relevant to the needs of other societies. He claimed that India views France as a powerful nation with a sense of independence and a global perspective.  France has played a key role in the formation of multi-polarity and has shown remarkable sensitivity to India's interests and concerns, he said.

Colonna said in her speech that whatever is occurring in Ukraine is a big issue not just for Europe but for the entire world.

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