PARIS: Jammu and Kashmir is set to figure in India’s key discussions with world leaders on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Biarritz this weekend, but the Modi-Macron talks, with an emphasis on bilateral resolutions, could be in a direction that India is comfortable with.

In his public remarks after meeting PM Narendra Modi , French President Emmanuel Macron said, “France will remain attentive to ensuring that the interests and rights of the civilian population are duly taken into account in the territories on both sides of the Line of Control.”

US President Donald Trump , undeterred by Indian insistence of bilateralism, has reiterated that he would like to mediate “if asked by both sides” on Kashmir. An unnamed senior US official was quoted as saying that Trump would ask Modi what his “roadmap” for regional peace would be. “We are helping the situation but there are tremendous problems between the two countries and I would do my best to mediate or something," Trump said. Modi and Trump are scheduled to meet this weekend.

Macron, supporting India on its actions in J&K, said, “It is important that peace is maintained there (J&K). We would always want peace and dialogue. I will talk to Pakistan’s PM as well after a few days and say that the talks should be held at bilateral level only.”

He added, “Prime Minister Modi has shared with me all the changes to which he has proceeded, which is a matter of his full sovereignty as far as the legal aspects are concerned, as well as his very firm commitment to maintaining stability in the region and actively combating all forms of escalation and any resurgence of terrorist activities.”

In view of the Indian position that J&K was an “internal matter”, Modi did not refer to Kashmir in his joint remarks. However, addressing the Indian community in Paris on Friday morning, he touched on the “temporary” provision in the Constitution that was removed when his government nullified Article 370, saying it had taken 70 years to get rid of it.

With Macron, Modi put a lot of emphasis on the quality of the India-France relationship. Macron also stressed on the strategic convergence of the relationship. “It’s because we share a strategic vision, the necessity of preserving stability in the region, to combating terrorism and protecting freedom and sovereignty everywhere, which is, in fact, at the core of our Indo-Pacific strategy. As such and in this regard, we have already obtained results. The delivery of the first Indian Rafale within a few weeks and on schedule will be a highly important,” he added.

Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters that India and France were exploring ways that India could share the use of France’s overseas territory Reunion Islands in the Indian Ocean . “France has an island territory, the Reunion Island, and there was some discussion between the two leaders on how both sides can cooperate to ensure freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.



In Video: PM Modi pitches for development, says 'India-France relationship is only moving forward'