Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday vowed to strengthen Indo-French defence ties through partnership in design, development and manufacture of advanced defence technologies and platforms including for third countries in the Indo-Pacific.

Modi and Macron held talks on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

“Both leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthen the defence cooperation through partnership in design, development, testing and manufacture of advanced defence technologies and platforms, and expand production in India, including for third countries in Indo-Pacific,” a joint statement said.

“In this context, they also called for early finalisation of the Defence Industrial Roadmap,” it said.

It said India and France welcomed African Union’s membership to G20 and resolved look to work with AU for progress, prosperity and development of Africa.

Modi and Macron also emphasised the need to expand Indo-French collaboration to address regional and global challenges.

“They reiterated their unwavering commitment to collectively serve as a force of good, carrying the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ that is ‘one earth, one family, one future’, during tumultuous times reshaping the global order,” the statement said.

“Laying emphasis on areas such as digital, science, technological innovation, education, culture, health and environment cooperation, both leaders called for strengthening of institutional linkages in these domains, on the model of the Indo-French Campus for the Indo-Pacific,” it said.