Describing the bilateral relations between India and France as “strong, trusted and consistent”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the two countries are now at a “turning point” as they complete 25 years of strategic partnership, and looked forward to working on a roadmap for the next 25 years of the strategic partnership.
Underlining that the India-France relationship is in “excellent shape”, Modi, who arrived in Paris on Thursday afternoon, said it “has been steady and resilient in the darkest storms”.
“As far as 25 years of the strategic partnership is concerned, I feel we are now at a India-France ties strong, look forward to roadmap for next 25 years: PM turning point. If we look at the post-pandemic global order and the shape that it is taking, I think the positive experience of our strategic partnership is an important step ahead. So, we look forward to working on a roadmap for the next 25 years of the strategic partnership, which I think is very important for the relationship. The relationship is in excellent shape. It is strong, trusted, consistent. It has been steady and resilient in the darkest storms,” he said in an interview to French newspaper Les Echos.
Modi, who was received by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport on Thursday, is on a two-day visit, during which he will hold a bilateral meeting with President Emmanuel Macron and join him for the Bastille Day celebrations as the guest of honour. “Landed in Paris. Looking forward to boosting India-France cooperation during this visit,” he tweeted.