France Reaffirms Support for India Against Terrorism Issues

Paris, May 27 (PTI) France on Tuesday reiterated its commitment to stand with India in combating terrorism originating from Pakistan, urging democratic nations to unite in addressing this global issue. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad highlighted this renewed solidarity at the conclusion of his delegation’s Paris visit—a tour of European capitals undertaken by an all-party Indian team.

The nine-member delegation was accompanied by members of the India-France Friendship Group in the French Senate, led by Vice-President Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio, and participants from the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee at the grand Luxembourg Palace. This meeting marked the final engagement in the French capital before the delegation's departure to Rome, Italy.

“All colleagues in the Senate, within this majestic building, expressed unwavering solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism,” Prasad told reporters. “They emphatically agreed that France, India, and indeed the entire democratic world, should vocally unite against terrorism emanating from Pakistan, with active support from the Pakistani state,” he noted. The delegation was notably moved by this robust endorsement and expressed their gratitude to French Senators.

Prasad added, “We witnessed great energy, compassion, and mutual respect for France and India, marking a significant takeaway from this visit.”

The discussions with the Senators followed a meeting with members of the India-France Friendship Group in the Assemblée Nationale (National Assembly) earlier the same day.

“This interaction was insightful in understanding India’s perception of France. We enjoy a deeply established, mutually beneficial partnership that projects a promising future,” said Thierry Tesson, President of the group, which is planning an upcoming visit to India.

“We are also battling terrorism in France. Agreeing with the delegation’s president, terrorism is akin to a cancer we must collectively defeat. Our combined efforts make us stronger,” Tesson added.

Earlier, the multi-party delegation—which includes MPs Daggubati Purandeswari, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Ghulam Ali Khatana, Dr. Amar Singh, Samik Bhattacharya, M Thambidurai, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Deputy National Security Advisor Ambassador Pankaj Saran—engaged with the French media to discuss the global dimension of terrorism originating in Pakistan.

“The dichotomy between the Pakistani state and terrorism has essentially disappeared. Terrorism as a state policy is integrally woven into Pakistan’s military structure," Prasad stated to reporters.

This European tour is one of 33 similar all-party delegations traveling globally to communicate India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. Following the Paris visit, Italy is next on their itinerary, with subsequent stops in Denmark, the UK, Belgium, and Germany. As a part of India’s diplomatic outreach, these delegations are reaching out to international communities concerning Pakistan’s terror strategies and India’s responses, particularly in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)