New Delhi: Extending his support for a permanent seat for India at the United Nations, Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain welcomed an Indian delegation for the UN consultations that took place in Paris on Tuesday.

As France is set to assume the UNSC chair, the French envoy stood in support of a permanent seat for India at the UN and hailed ties between India and France.

In a further statement, the ambassador said that the two countries are capable of holding strong ties and reforming multilateralism.

"The Fr MFA yesterday welcomed an Indian delegation for United Nations consultations, right before France assumes the UNSC chair. Together, our two countries are capable of upholding & reforming multilateralism. That's also why supports a permanent seat for India at UNSC," Lenain said in a tweet.

Time and again, the ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain described India as a leading strategic partner in Asia and hailed the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Meanwhile, India and France Tuesday held the consultations on UN Security Council and agreed to strengthen ongoing cooperation at the multilateral platform on issues of mutual interest. Prakash Gupta, Joint Secretary (UN-Political) led the Indian delegation, including the officials from the Embassy of India in Paris. Both sides had briefed each other about their priorities during France and India's upcoming Presidencies of the UNSC in September and December 2022, respectively.

Notably, India and France have always had traditionally close and friendly relations. In 1998, the two countries entered into a Strategic Partnership which is emblematic of their convergence of views on a range of international issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship. The two countries have a burgeoning economic relationship. French businesses and industry have forged linkages with the Indian economy and contribute significantly to our goal to become an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

There are over 1000 French businesses in India in variegated sectors such as defence, ITES, consulting, engineering services, heavy industry et al. France is the 7th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative FDI stock of USD 9 billion from April 2, 2000, to December 2020, which represents 2 per cent of the total FDI inflows into India.

Moreover, during the second wave of COVID-19 in India, France also supported India with a massive solidarity mission launched at the request of the President of the French Republic. The operation was implemented by the Embassy of France in India led along with IFCCI and Team France. During this mission, 55 crores (6.1 million euros) were raised from 55 French and Indian groups for donating 29 state-of-the-art French-made oxygen-generating plants to Indian hospitals across the country.

France is also a fast-growing Indian partner in defence cooperation and the two countries share a strong strategic and defence partnership. As seen in the timely delivery of the Rafale despite the pandemic, the two sides enjoy synergy in the field of defence. In February 2022, India received the eighth batch of three Rafale fighter aircraft from France.