France concerned about Indo-Pacific safety, says French Army Chief
French Army, General Pierre Schill Wednesday expressed concern on Indo-Pacific's safety and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation in the Bastille Day is a sign of deepening strategic partnership between India and France.
Pierre Schill, in an exclusive interview, said, «So France, as a nation of Pacific is also concerned in free movements and open space in the Pacific and the fact that through the multilateral coordination between nations and also armies to have the right and the laws been forced and for a free access to Pacific.»
He was speaking on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) at Manekshaw Centre in Delhi.
On India's ties with France, he said, «We were very proud to welcome Prime Minister Modi for the Bastille Day in France and some of your units that were opening the big parade we have on those days. This is a sign of some kind of strategic partnership we have, which is very important because we have some very close strategic assessment of the world.
We have very close military links in the Navy, and in Air Force because of Rafael, but also go with the land forces.»
PM Modi, on his visit to France, participated in the Bastille Day celebrations in July as the Guest of Honour. He visited France at the invitation of French President Macron.
During the parade, the Indian military contingent marched to the patriotic tune of 'Sare Jahan Se Accha,' while a squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighters participated in a flypast over the Champs-Elysees at the Bastille Day Parade.
