PM Modi meets French President Macron, discusses climate finance, civil nuclear ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged views on a wide range of areas, including climate action, climate financing, sports, energy, defence and civil nuclear cooperation.

Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met French President Emmanuel Macron and discussed a wide range of issues including climate financing and civil nuclear cooperation. The Modi-Macron meeting took place on the sidelines of the COP28 World Climate Action Summit underway here.

The two leaders exchanged views on a wide range of areas, including climate action, climate financing, sports, energy, defence and civil nuclear cooperation, a statement from India's External Affairs Ministry said. "Happy to have met my good friend, President @EmmanuelMacron in Dubai. Our conversation was enriching as always. I admire his passion to further cement India-France relations," Modi posted on X.

French nuclear operator EDF announced earlier this week that it had signed a memorandum of cooperation with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to explore the opportunity to maximize the local content of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) plans to build six nuclear power reactors of 1650 MWe each at Jaitapur in Maharashtra in cooperation with the French company.

The BHEL and EDF will also explore larger collaborations for the European Pressurised Reactors, which are being planned at Jaitapur, and NUWARD small modular reactors.