India,France,UAE unveil plans for cooperation under trilateral framework

India, France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) unveiled an ambitious roadmap for cooperation in a plethora of areas including defence, energy and technology. The major development came in the midst of the relentless war and Russia facing the burnt of international pressure and sanctions. In the latest event, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with its second-largest arms exporter, France, and UAE on Saturday, where the trio held an extensive discussion on various topics including defence, technology, green energy and climate change. The plan was finalised during a phone conversation among Jaishankar, his French counterpart Catherine Colonna and UAE's Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. A joint statement said it was acknowledged that defence is an area of close cooperation between the three countries.

During the call, the three sides agreed that the trilateral initiative will serve as a forum to promote the design and execution of cooperation projects in the fields of energy, with a focus on solar and nuclear energy, as well as in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity, particularly in the Indian Ocean region. For this purpose, the three countries will explore the possibility of working with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to pursue concrete, actionable projects on clean energy, the environment, and biodiversity, as per the joint statement. "It was acknowledged that defence is an area of close cooperation between the three countries. Therefore, efforts will be undertaken to further promote compatibility, and joint development and co-production, whilst seeking out avenues for further collaboration and training between the three countries' defence forces," according to the joint statement.