India and France Strengthen Bilateral Ties through Strategic Space Dialogue and Disarmament Talks

The second India-France Strategic Space Dialogue held in New Delhi on Monday witnessed significant discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the space sector.

Co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra from India and Secretary General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms Anne-Marie Descotes from France, the meeting saw a comprehensive review of progress made since the inaugural dialogue. Both sides explored avenues for further collaboration in government-to-government (G2G) and commercial space ventures.

Key topics of discussion included the implementation of the recently signed Letter of Intent on Defence Space Cooperation, capacity building, training, and defence space industrial cooperation. The meeting underscored the robust engagement between India and France in the space domain.

In addition to the Strategic Space Dialogue, both countries engaged in bilateral talks on disarmament and non-proliferation, covering nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Discussions also delved into space security, conventional weapons, artificial intelligence (AI) in the military, lethal autonomous weapon systems, and multilateral export control regimes.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Secretary-General Anne-Marie Descotes to reaffirm the growing strength of the strategic partnership between India and France. He expressed confidence that the ongoing consultations and dialogues will further bolster the momentum of bilateral relations.

The meetings reflect the deepening ties between India and France, highlighting shared interests in space exploration, defence cooperation, and global security challenges. As both nations continue to collaborate on various fronts, the strategic partnership is expected to reach new heights in the coming years.