At the 7th Maritime Cooperation Dialogue in New Delhi, the delegations from both countries defined piracy and armed robbery, terrorism, smuggling, illegal fishing, hybrid and cyber threats to security, and marine pollution as the most pressing challenges.
Co-chaired by Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor at India’s National Security Council Secretariat, and Alice Rufo, Director General for International Relations and Strategy at France’s Ministry for the Armed Forces, both sides discussed enhancing their cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
Participants reaffirmed their shared vision for maritime security, an essential element of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
They reaffirmed their strong commitment to upholding international law, supporting multilateralism through regional organizations, respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protecting freedom of navigation.
The delegates from India and France agreed to support free and secure access to sea lanes of communication through collaboration between their maritime assets and organizations.
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