Ajit Doval briefs France’s Macron on Indian efforts to stop Ukraine war

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval apprised French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday evening about Indian conversations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on how to end the war in Eastern Europe, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Doval was expected to leave Paris on Tuesday after holding a strategic dialogue with Macron’s diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne and meeting French defence minister Sebastian Lecormu and foreign minister Jean Noel Barrot.

It is understood that Doval had a fruitful meeting with the French President where both had a good discussion over geopolitics with the Ukraine war and the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza and against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

According to officials based in Paris and New Delhi, President Macron believes that India can play a positive role in ending the Ukraine war as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the trust of both President Putin and President Zelensky after discussing the issue with them in a number of meetings and phone calls.

While Doval discussed the way forward to deepen the strategic partnership with France in his meeting with diplomatic adviser Bonne and chief military adviser to the President, the Macron government is all for supporting India in its “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative by offering to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft and Safran engines in India on a 100% transfer of technology basis. The French are willing to work jointly with India on areas ranging from nuclear submarines, cybersecurity and military satellites in space.

Fact is that on the eve of Doval’s visit, the Indian navy concluded its cost negotiating committee on acquisition of 26 Rafale M fighters for INS Vikrant with the French manufacturer even reducing the deal cost by nearly 500 million euros. The deal is expected to be signed by the end of this year after approval of the CCS (cabinet committee on security).

Besides, French Naval Group and Indian Mazagon Dockyards Limited are joining hands to build three more latest Kalvari class submarines, which will be high on endurance and capability as compared to the six Kalvari class submarines that were ordered by India in 2001. The three new Kalvari class submarines will be more potent than their earlier versions.