the french connection - The Hindu
The HinduPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France and engagement with President Emmanuel Macron saw, in sum and substance, the signing of a slew of agreements, key defence deals — including a decision to buy 26 more Rafale fighter jets off-the-shelf — and the absence of any commentary on each other’s internal affairs. The strategic road map for the next 25 years — “Horizon 2047” — which includes cooperation in defence, space, nuclear energy, climate change and green transitions as well as education and people-to-people ties demonstrated both, the span and the depth of the relationship. China watch In his third high-level engagement with top Chinese officials in recent months, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed “outstanding issues” along the Line of Actual Control with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi along the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Jakarta. However, in a reflection of continuing differences in how India and China view taking ties forward, the top diplomat from Beijing told Mr. Jaishankar that “specific issues” shouldn’t “define the overall relationship”, Ananth Krishnan writes.