India and France held high-level Foreign Office Consultations in Paris, signalling a renewed push to deepen their strategic partnership across key sectors, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.The talks were co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Martin Briens, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.During the visit, Misri also met France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot and held discussions with Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the President Emmanuel Macron, underscoring the importance both sides attach to sustained political engagement.According to the MEA, the consultations included a comprehensive review of the expanding India-France relationship, particularly following its elevation to a Special Global Strategic Partnership and President Macron’s visit to India in February this year.Officials assessed progress on key initiatives, including the India-France Year of Innovation, collaboration on economic security, and efforts to boost STEM mobility, with a focus on increasing the number of Indian students in France.“Discussions spanned a wide spectrum of strategic cooperation, including defence, civil nuclear energy, space, cyber and digital technologies, and artificial intelligence,” the ministry said.The two sides also reviewed institutional dialogue mechanisms and initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people and cultural ties.On the global front, India and France exchanged views on climate change, environmental cooperation, health partnerships, and developments in the Indo-Pacific.They also discussed trilateral frameworks, joint projects in third countries, and evolving situations in West Asia and Ukraine, the MEA added.Both sides agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement, with Misri and Briens set to meet again later this year for the Strategic Space Dialogue.