New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday met his French counterpart Florence Parly and held the 3rd Annual Defence Dialogue between India and France.

"India-France Strategic Partnership is more relevant today than ever. I had an excellent meeting with my French counterpart, Ms @florence_parly," tweeted Singh.

Also Read | Millipede With 1,306 Legs, Discovered in Australia, is The World's Leggiest Creature.

A wide range of bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the annual meeting, said a Defence Ministry release.

The Ministers reviewed the existing military-to-military cooperation, which has increased in spite of pandemic challenges. They discussed ways to increase defence cooperation in all domains.

Also Read | Fire in Japan: Blaze Erupts in Eight-Story Building in Osaka, 27 People Feared Dead, Says Report.

India and France have recently concluded their annual bilateral Army Exercise, Shakti, with a focus on counter-terrorism operations, in France in November 2021.

Defence industrial cooperation was discussed with a focus on future collaborations and co-production between the two countries, added the release.

The Ministers acknowledged their convergences on a number of strategic and defence issues. They expressed commitment to work together to enhance cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums.

France is the current chair of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and shall take over the Presidency of the European Union from January 01, 2022. The two Ministers decided to work closely on a number of issues during the French Presidency.

Earlier, Parly called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She is expected to meet with other Indian dignitaries during her visit. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)