The conversation came a day after France recalled its ambassadors from Washington DC and Canberra, in protest of Australia signing a multibillion-dollar nuclear submarines deal with the US and the US.
France will work with India to promote ‘truly multilateral’ world order. After a telephonic conversation between French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the French foreign ministry said the two ministers has agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership. This union will be “based on a relationship of political trust between two great sovereign nations of the Indo-Pacific”.
Working on a common programme to develop a truly multilateral international order was Jaishankar’s idea, to which the French minister said he agrees on. The two ministers agreed to meet on sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, next week in New York to discuss the same.
EAM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in a tweet, said, “Discussed recent developments in the Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan with my friend FM @JY_LeDria. Looking forward to our New York meeting”.
The conversation came a day after the French government recalled its ambassadors from Washington DC and Canberra, in protest of Australia signing a multibillion-dollar nuclear submarines deal with the US and the US at the expense of France. Australia was earlier expected to sign a deal of building 12 conventional submarines with the French company — the Naval Group.
Paris is also furious about its exclusion from the trilateral security alliance among the US, the UK and Australia. India has yet not commented on this newly-formed security partnership — AUKUS that holds immense importance in the Indo-Pacific.
A White House official said on Friday that the US regrets France’s decision to recall its ambassadors and will reach out to the French leadership to resolve differences between the two countries.
Australia also regretted France’s decision, adding that it “values its relationship with France” and will continue to work with with Paris on various other issues. “Australia understands France’s deep disappointment with our decision, which was taken in accordance with our clear and communicated national security interests,” said a spokesperson for Australia’s foreign minister, Marise Payne.
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