NSA Doval meets French Foreign Minister

Paris, Oct 2: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval Wednesday met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot here and shared perspectives on the wars in Europe and West Asia.

“NSA Ajit Doval concluded his visit with a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot @jnbarrot. Shared perspectives on the wars in Europe and the Middle East,” the Indian Embassy in France said in a post on X.

Doval last month visited Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin on the margins of a conclave of national security advisors of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) nations in St Petersburg.

His visit to Russia came two-and-a-half weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a high-profile trip to Ukraine. On tensions in West Asia, India has called for restraint by all sides and said the conflict must not take a wider regional dimension.

On Tuesday, Doval called on French President Emmanuel Macron, who stressed the value of India-France efforts to advance peace and address global challenges and appreciated Prime Minister Modi’s initiatives.

Doval conveyed Prime Minister Modi’s greetings to him and reiterated commitment to implement the India-France Horizon 2047 roadmap.

He also met Emmanuel Chiva, Director General of the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), and held comprehensive discussions on France’s defence planning and procurement systems; defence collaboration; and opportunities for Indian-French startups & tech in future defence technologies and innovation.

During his visit, Doval also met French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu and discussed enhancing bilateral defence relations and advancing space collaboration, as well as the “evolving” global situation.

Doval also led the Strategic Dialogue in Paris with Emmanuel Bonne, the Diplomatic Advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron.

The dialogue “anchors the India-France strategic partnership of great trust and comfort, and high ambitions and responsibilities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, and from cyber to space”, the Indian embassy said.