Rio de Janeiro, 19 November 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held talks on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil on Tuesday, focusing on deepening collaboration in areas such as space, energy, artificial intelligence, and people-to-people linkages.
Modi expressed his appreciation for France’s successful hosting of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games earlier this year. “It is always an immense pleasure to meet my friend, President Emmanuel Macron,” Modi wrote on X, sharing photographs of their meeting. He emphasized the commitment of both nations to work together in “futuristic areas” and enhance bilateral ties.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the meeting as a step forward in the “India-France Strategic Partnership.” According to an MEA post on X, the leaders discussed strengthening ties in trade, investment, technology, and digital public infrastructure while exchanging views on key global issues, including developments in the Indo-Pacific region.
India and France have a long-standing partnership, particularly in defense, space exploration, and renewable energy. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared vision of innovation-driven cooperation to address global challenges and foster economic growth.
Modi, who arrived in Brazil on Sunday after concluding a visit to Nigeria, has been engaging with several world leaders on the summit’s sidelines.
These included leaders from Italy, the UK, Indonesia, Norway, and Portugal. Earlier on Tuesday, Modi had a brief interaction with U.S. President Joe Biden, though details of their exchange were not disclosed.
The ongoing G20 Summit in Brazil provides a platform for global leaders to address pressing international issues, with India actively engaging to bolster its strategic and economic partnerships.
