France-India Strategic Consultations in Paris

... Minister Barroso, dear colleagues, uh, let me say that

it's a great pleasure to be in Paris again for our regular bilateral consultations. Uh,

France is amongst our oldest strategic partner, uh, the first in Europe.

Uh, and I believe, Minister, that our continuous conversation is

an important part of nurturing that relationship. Now, our particular meeting

takes place, uh, in a, the larger context of considerable

global uncertainty. And in such a situation, it is natural that strategic partners would consult very

closely. Uh, we must and we are making full use of the various mechanisms