'India can create bridges between G7 and BRICS': French President Emmanuel Macron

French

President Emmanuel Macron has called for global powers to work together, stressing the need for closer cooperation between the G7 and BRICS nations.

He emphasised that BRICS should not position itself against the G7, nor should the G7 view BRICS as an adversary.

"We should fight against the fragmentation of the world. G7 should not be an anti-China club or an anti-BRICS group. BRICS can't be an anti-G7 group," Macron said.

India currently chairs the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), while France holds the presidency of the G7 (Group of Seven advanced economies).

Highlighting India's role as the current BRICS president, Macron said that India could "create bridges in order to build cooperation" between the two blocs. He added that working together is essential and a priority for both G7 and BRICS.

Macron has described India, Australia, and Indonesia as France's "unprecedented" partners, calling them "solid partners" in areas such as defence, security, artificial intelligence, and climate change.

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The statement came with India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar in France for high-level talks. Jaishankar met French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, describing their discussions as "driven by the comfort and depth of our Strategic Partnership."

"Apart from our bilateral ties, we are both very active in the international arena. This year we chaired the BRICS, you chaired the G7. We are both members of the G20. We are also otherwise active in a number of international organisations," Jaishankar said.

He added, "As two nations committed to multipolarity, working together is important not only for ourselves but also for stabilising global politics."

Macron has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the German Chancellor to the Africa-France Summit, scheduled for May 11-12, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Macron will travel to India next month to attend the AI Impact Summit in Delhi on February 19-20. This will be the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, making it the first major international AI event held in a region outside Europe and North America.

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