France’s president has reportedly expressed hope that India can play a “positive role” in ending the ongoing conflict
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval briefed French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discussions with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to resolve the ongoing conflict, Indian media reported on Wednesday.
Paris believes New Delhi can play a positive role in ending the hostilities in Ukraine, as Modi has the “trust” of both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, Hindustan Times reported, citing official sources in both capitals.
Doval, who traveled to Paris earlier this week for high-profile bilateral talks, had earlier accompanied Modi on both trips – to Moscow in July and to Kiev in August.
He also visited Russia last month, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he reportedly discussed the situation in Ukraine and India’s approaches to finding ways to resolve the conflict.
During his visit to Paris this week, Doval met with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to Macron and French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu. “Their dialogue is aimed at deepening bilateral defense cooperation and advancing space collaboration, while also sharing insights on the evolving international geopolitical landscape,” the Indian embassy in France said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
New Delhi maintains close ties with Paris, which has emerged as the second largest arms supplier to India, after Moscow. According to the latest data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India accounted for 29% of France’s arms exports between 2019 and 2023. Notably, Macron attended India’s Republic Day celebration in January this year as the chief guest and Modi was France’s guest of honor during last year’s Bastille Day parade.
The news agency ANI reported ahead of Doval’s visit to Paris that France has submitted its final offer for 26 Rafale marine jets intended for the Indian Navy, reportedly following significant price reductions following “tough” negotiations. Reports indicate that New Delhi has scaled back some of its initial requirements for the integration of its domestically-produced missiles and radars due to high costs the French side would have to pay.
New Delhi has maintained that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to end the Ukraine conflict, and any solution aimed at achieving peace must involve both sides.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, speaking in Germany last month, indicated that direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are inevitable in ending the ongoing conflict, and that India is ready to play a role in facilitating this process. Later, in New York, he clarified that India doesn’t have a “peace plan” but it does engage in dialogue with both Moscow and Kiev – something that “not many countries and leaders today” can do.
India has in recent years become one of Russia’s biggest trade partners, as Moscow has turned to Asian countries following the imposition of Western sanctions. New Delhi has refused to support the sanctions despite pressure from the West, and bilateral trade surpassed $60 billion last year. During the meeting in Moscow, Putin and Modi set a goal of $100 billion in mutual trade by 2030.
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