Jaishankar, French Foreign Minister Barrot Review Ukraine, Gulf Developments

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Wednesday, with the two ministers discussing developments related to Ukraine, the Gulf, the Indo-Pacific and the United Nations. The conversation comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between India and France on major global and regional issues.

Jaishankar, in a post on X following the conversation, noted that the discussions covered Ukraine, the Gulf, the Indo-Pacific and the UN. The talks also followed the External Affairs Minister’s recent visit to Ukraine and Poland, during which India reiterated its readiness to contribute to efforts aimed at finding a resolution to the longstanding Russia-Ukraine conflict.

During his visit to Kyiv, Jaishankar met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and conveyed India’s willingness to help in any way that could support efforts to end the conflict. The latest discussion with Barrot adds to continuing consultations between the two countries on the Ukraine situation and other international developments, including challenges affecting the Gulf region and the wider Indo-Pacific.

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India-France engagement has also expanded across strategic and emerging areas. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to France in June, he attended the G7 Summit, held discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and participated in events including the Bharat Innovates Programme and VivaTech 2026. The two countries have also identified defence, technology, space, security, counter-terrorism and innovation as important areas of cooperation.

The latest conversation follows another meeting between Jaishankar and Barrot in May on the sidelines of the informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Cyprus. Earlier in April, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri co-chaired the India-France Foreign Office Consultations in Paris with Martin Briens, Secretary General of the French Foreign Ministry. Discussions during those consultations covered defence, civil nuclear energy, space, cyber and digital cooperation, artificial intelligence, innovation and people-to-people ties.

The two sides have maintained regular diplomatic consultations as India and France coordinate on bilateral priorities as well as global and regional challenges. During Misri’s April visit to France, discussions with Barrot also included bilateral cooperation and international developments, including the situation in the Middle East, highlighting the broadening scope of the strategic relationship between the two countries.

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