India, France Agree To Intensify Maritime Cooperation In Southwest Indian Ocean

New Delhi: India and France have agreed to enhance cooperation in the Southwest Indian Ocean, building on the joint surveillance missions conducted from the French island territory of La Reunion in 2020 and 2022. Prime Minister Modi and French President Macron also agreed on their commitment to further strengthen the long-standing partnership between the two countries. They also underscored the region’s importance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests and recognized the critical role of their partnership in advancing a free, open, inclusive, secure, and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. As per India-France Joint Statement, India and France also welcomed the extension of interactions in India’s maritime neighbourhood. Notably, these interactions may positively contribute to the securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication.