India joins UAE, France for trilateral on clean energy, counter-pandemic steps

Trilateral to focus on nuclear and solar power, climate change and biodiversity, along with cooperation in defence preparation and in countering infectious diseases, says a joint statement

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar meets UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali in New Delhi on January 31, 2023. Photo: Twitter/@DrSJaishankar via PTI

India, France and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday declared their common intent to formalise a “” to collaborate on nuclear energy and explore opportunities in the Indian Ocean region. The Foreign Ministers of the three countries held a telephonic conversation in this regard and agreed to work together in the field of solar and nuclear energy, climate change and biodiversity. 

“Productive conversation with colleagues, French FM @MinColonna and UAE FM @ABZayed today evening. Took forward discussions of New York on building practical projects that will benefit the region,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in a tweet after the telephonic conversation.

“During this call, the three sides agreed that the trilateral initiative will serve as a forum to promote the design and execution of cooperation projects in the fields of energy, with a focus on solar and nuclear energy, as well as in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity, particularly in the Indian Ocean region,” a joint statement by the three nations said.

The trilateral was first discussed when the three Ministers—Dr. Jaishankar, France’s Catherine Colonna and the UAE’s Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan—had met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2022.

It was further agreed that “a range of trilateral events will be held in the backdrop of the Indian Presidency of the G20 here and COP28 to be held in UAE in November-December 2023,” said the joint statement. The countries have also agreed to cooperate in defence preparation and in countering infectious diseases, it added.

“In this regard, cooperation in multilateral organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi-the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, and Unitaid will be encouraged. Further, the three countries will attempt to identify tangible cooperation on implementing the “One Health” approach, and support the development of local capacities in biomedical innovation and production within developing countries,” the joint statement declared.