Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Dubai on Friday and discussed climate action and climate financing, among others.

The meeting that took place between the two leaders on the sidelines of the COP 28 Summit in Dubai also witnessed wide-ranging discussions on areas of sports, energy, and defence.

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, on December 1, 2023, on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai. The two leaders exchanged views on a wide range of areas, including climate action, climate financing, sports, energy, defence and civil nuclear cooperation," the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official release.

PM Modi also met the President of the Maldives on the sidelines of COP-28 Summit in the UAE.

He also congratulated President Muizzu on his assumption of office.

The two leaders reviewed the wide-ranging bilateral relations between the two countries, including people-to-people linkages, development cooperation, and economic ties.

"Both leaders reviewed the wide-ranging bilateral relations between the two countries, including people-to-people linkages, development cooperation, economic relations, climate change and sports," the Ministry of External Affairs release said.

"The two leaders also discussed ways to further deepen their partnership. In this regard, they agreed to set up a core group," the MEA said.

PM Modi also held "productive talks" with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Dubai.

"PM @narendramodi held productive talks with @president_uz Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Dubai," the Prime Minister's Office posted on X (formerly Twitter).

They discussed strengthening bilateral relations in sectors including traditional medicine, education and health.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the COP-28 Summit in UAE.

The PM congratulated the UAE President for successfully hosting the COP-28 Summit. He also thanked the President for co-hosting the high-level event on the Green Climate Programme (GCP) at COP-28.

Both leaders reviewed their wide-ranging and vibrant bilateral ties. They also exchanged views on the Israel-Hamas conflict, as per a release issued by the Prime Minister's office.

PM Modi also invited the UAE President to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, to be held in India next month.

PM Modi also met Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson on the sidelines of COP-28 on Friday.

The two discussed various facets of bilateral ties, including defence, R&D, trade and investment, and climate cooperation.

Furthermore, PM Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset.

The PM, in his meeting with Swiss President Alain Berset, discussed ways to further deepen the India-Switzerland partnership, including in areas of trade and investment, technology, health, education, IT, tourism and people-to-people ties.

"PM @narendramodi met President @alain_berset of Switzerland on the sidelines of #COP28 WCAS in Dubai. The two leaders discussed ways to further deepen - partnership including in areas of trade & investment, technology, health, education, IT, tourism and people to people ties. They also discussed regional and global issues," the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, MEA spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Dubai.

"Happy to have met President @RTErdogan on the sidelines of the #COP28 Summit in Dubai," PM Modi wrote.

PM Modi on Thursday night arrived in Dubai to attend the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP-28) Summit.

PM Modi on Friday noted that the countries in the Global South have had an immense impact of climate change on them.

The PM said that to fulfil the aspirations of the Global South, climate finance and technology are essential.

COP28 is being held from November 28-December 12 under the Presidency of the UAE in Dubai.

The World Climate Action Summit is the high-level segment of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP-28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The prime minister underlined that countries in the Global South, including India, have a smaller role to play in climate change but the impact of climate change on them is immense.

"We all know that countries in the Global South, including India, have had less of a role to play in climate change. But the impact of climate change on them is immense. Despite a lack of resources, these countries are committed to climate action," the Prime Minister said at the COP28 Presidency's session on Transforming Climate Finance today.