National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his French counterpart Emmanuel Bonne on Thursday held wide-ranging discussions on defence and safety cooperation, with the talks additionally making ready the grounds for a go to to India by French President Emmanuel Macron.

During the talks, India and France reiterated their dedication to take ahead their strategic partnership to “ensure peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific based on common beliefs in rules-based international order and strategic autonomy”, the exterior affairs ministry mentioned in a press release.

Besides collaborating within the thirty sixth session of the India-French Strategic Dialogue with Doval, Bonne met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, exterior affairs minister S Jaishankar and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. In addition to being the diplomatic advisor to the French president, Bonne is France’s G7-G20 sherpa. People accustomed to the matter mentioned the talks additionally paved the way in which for a go to by Macron, who is predicted to journey to India someday within the first quarter. The French facet proposed a go to in March however the closing dates are but to be locked down, the individuals mentioned. March is ready to be a busy month within the diplomatic calendar, with different high-profile visits and an anticipated assembly of G20 international ministers.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi mentioned Doval and Bonne held discussions on a variety of points, together with the present international safety state of affairs within the context of Ukraine battle, regional safety within the context of Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, cyber-security and defence cooperation within the Indo-Pacific.

The two sides mentioned “expanding the scope of defence cooperation to include co-development of futuristic technologies in line with India’s priorities of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat”, the ministry’s assertion mentioned.