Under its G20 presidency, India sent across message of peace and unity to world: French President Macron

New Delhi: As G20 President, India did its best to send across a message of unity and peace to the world while Russia was still waging its aggression against Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.

Considering the current fragmented environment, India has done well as G20 president, Macron noted at a media briefing here after the Summit concluded.

Referring to the India-French strategic partnership, he said the relationship is much more than bilateral engagement and that the two countries have to work towards resisting the fragmentation of the world.

On Indo-French defence ties, Macron, without giving specific details, said additional contracts and procurements will follow in months and years to come.

The G20 is not a forum for political discussions, Macron said while responding to a question on whether the paragraphs relating to the Ukraine crisis in the G20 Declaration are a sort of a climbdown by the West.

The French president said the vast majority of G20 countries condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine but G20 should not get stuck because of one issue.

He said the Summit Declaration talked about the need to uphold principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and expressed its commitment to just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Considering the current fragmented environment, India has done well as G20 president, Macron noted.

He also supported reforms in international institutions to reflect the current reality of the world.