French President Macron’s India Visit to Focus on Clean Energy, Maritime Security, Nuclear Deal

French President Emmanuel Macron will be visiting India from March 9 to 12 during which the two countries will focus on the International Solar Alliance (ISA), maritime security and nuclear cooperation, according to reports. Macron will be accompanied by his wife, Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron, and a delegation of businessmen and ministry officials.

“The visit of President Macron is aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic, political and strategic dimension of our engagement,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

“The strategic partnership between India and France, established in 1998, is one of the most important and comprehensive bilateral engagements and is marked by intense and frequent high-level exchanges and deep political understanding,” it added. “We have enhanced and ongoing cooperation in the defense, maritime, space, security, and energy-related sectors, and are increasingly working together on all issues of concern including terrorism, climate change, sustainable growth and development, infrastructure, smart urbanization, S&T cooperation, and youth exchanges. Macron’s visit is aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic, political and strategic dimension of our engagement.”

During the trip, Macron will inaugurate a 75-megawatt solar power plant in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will also be present at the ISA Summit on March 11, in which delegates from 125 countries will be participating. Twenty five French leaders will be present as well.

The French president will also visit the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi and will take a boat ride in the Ganga river with Modi.

India and France will also focus on increasing bilateral cooperation in the Indian Ocean. The two countries are expected to sign agreements allowing India access to French military bases in the Indian Ocean, according to the Times of India. France has a stronghold in the Indian Ocean, with the largest amount of real estate, such as an 11 million sq km exclusive economic zone in the Mozambique channel. France also has military bases in Djibouti, Abu Dhabi and Reunion Islands.

The two countries may also sign an agreement between NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited) and EDF (of France) on six nuclear reactors.