India, France adopt roadmap on blue economy and ocean governance

India and France have adopted a roadmap on the blue economy and ocean governance to enhance partnership for the exploitation and preservation of marine resources through economic, infrastructure and scientific cooperation.

The roadmap was adopted at meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris on Sunday. The roadmap is part of measures agreed on by the two ministers to deepen the bilateral strategic partnership, especially in trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, research and innovation, energy and climate change.

Jaishankar travelled to France after participating in the Munich Security Conference in Germany last week. France is among India’s closest strategic partners in Europe, and the two sides are also working with third countries in areas such as critical technologies and resilient supply chains.

During their talks, Jaishankar and Le Drian appreciated the close cooperation between India and France during the Covid-19 pandemic and agreed on deepening the strategic partnership, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. The “India-France Roadmap on the Blue Economy and Ocean Governance” adopted by the two sides envisages enhancing partnership in blue economy through institutional, economic, infrastructure and scientific cooperation, it said.

The two ministers agreed to continue and enhance cooperation in sports and to soon conclude a joint declaration of intent in the area of sports to facilitate people-to-people contacts. They also agreed to strengthen long-standing cooperation on public administration and administrative reforms between the relevant authorities in India and France.

Jaishankar and Le Drian discussed key regional and global issues, particularly the India-European Union (EU) relationship and the priorities of the French presidency of the EU Council that began on January 1. Jaishankar appreciated the French initiative of hosting an EU ministerial forum on cooperation in the Indo-Pacific on February 22, where he will participate with several other ministers from Indo-Pacific and EU countries.

They agreed to intensify India-EU ties under the French presidency, and the need to begin negotiations on the India-EU free trade and investment agreements and implement the India-EU Connectivity Partnership.

Jaishankar and Le Drian further agreed to jointly launch an Indo-French call for an “Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership” during the EU ministerial forum on Tuesday to build capacities in the region in terms of sustainable management of protected areas. This will be done by gathering and sharing experiences and expertise among key Indo-Pacific public and private natural park managers.

The two Ministers exchanged perspectives on the situation in Afghanistan, the efforts to revive Iran’s nuclear deal and the evolving situation in Ukraine. “They reiterated their shared commitment to the principles of multilateralism and a rules-based order, and agreed to coordinate in the UN Security Council on issues of mutual concern,” the statement said.

Jaishankar will hold meetings with other French leaders, EU commissioners and his counterparts from other Indo-Pacific countries participating in the EU ministerial forum.