Jaishankar Meets French Senate Chairman to Discuss India-France Strategic Partnership

The visiting French Senate Chairman, Gerard Larcher, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held “a fruitful discussion on the India-France strategic partnership” on Tuesday. The two leaders conversed about how they agreed on a number of international issues. “Happy to meet the visiting parliamentary delegation led by the French Senate President, @gerard_larcher. In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar wrote, “A fruitful discussion on the India-France strategic partnership and the convergence on so many global issues.” France and India have long had cordial and close ties. In addition to their close and developing bilateral relationship, the two nations’ 1998 Strategic Partnership is representative of their convergence of views on a variety of international issues, according to the Ministry.

French Senate Chairman Larcher is on an official visit to India on February 19 and 20 accompanied by a delegation of five senators, the French Embassy in India said.
On Monday, Larcher met Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar at Parliament House and discussed strengthening parliamentary exchanges between the two countries. The discussions between the Chairman of the French Senate and Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar also centred on building close economic and cultural cooperation, and warm people-to-people ties.
The visit of the Chairman of the French Senate aims to strengthen bilateral ties and parliamentary cooperation between France and India.
“Larcher is accompanied by a delegation of five other senators who are members of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee or the France-India Friendship Group. This will mark the first official visit to India of a Chairman of the French Senate, the Upper House of France’s Parliament,” according to the official press release.

The French Senate’s chairman and his senators will talk about how to improve communication and understanding between the Indian Parliament and the French Senate, including the possibility of a special agreement. There will also be a guided tour of the new Parliament building provided for Larcher. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be receiving a call from the head of the French Senate. Larcher’s itinerary includes visits to the locations of French companies that are major contributors to “Make in India” and “Skill India,” as well as meetings with business executives of French companies operating in India, mainly in the aerospace and defense sectors.