All about India-France strategic dialogue, 10 points

India and France are holding their annual strategic dialogue in New Delhi on Thursday. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is leading the Indian side while French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic advisor Emmanuel Bonne is heading the visiting delegation. On his last visit to India in 2019, Bonne had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The external affairs ministry in its release on Wednesday said, “The two sides will hold discussions on wide-ranging bilateral and global issues. Emmanuel Bonne will also call on other Indian dignitaries. The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was held in February 2020 in Paris.”

Setting the tone for the India-France strategic dialogue, French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain on New Year’s Day said France was eager to work with India to uphold international law, fight terror and defend multilateralism while welcoming India’s stint at the UN Security Council.