Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met his French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and had a “good discussion” on ways to boost bilateral strategic ties ahead of President Emmanuel Macron’s first visit to India next month.

PM Modi met Philippe on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai.

External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter saying, “The two leaders had a good discussion on strengthening our strategic partnership. Modi said that he was looking forward to the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India next month.”

PM @narendramodi met PM of France Edouard Philippe on the sidelines of the @WorldGovSummit in Dubai. The two leaders had a good discussion on strengthening our strategic partnership. PM said that he was looking forward to the visit of French President Macron to India next month. pic.twitter.com/FA6rbICcPU

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 11, 2018

There has been a significant progress in Indo-French cooperation through regular high-level exchanges and growing commercial exchanges, including in strategic areas such as defence, nuclear energy and space.

Last year, Modi visited France soon after Macron assumed office.

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met his Kyrgyz counterpart Sapar Isakov on the sidelines of the World Government Summit here.

The two leaders shared views on bilateral and regional issues, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Modi visited Kyrgyzstan in 2015 in what was the first prime ministerial visit from India to that country in 20 years.

India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Kyrgyzstan when it became independent in 1991 after the Soviet Union broke up.

On Sunday, PM Modi met UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, defence and people-to- people contacts.

PM Modi also met business leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and shared his vision of “new India” with them.

Also read | Dubai: PM Modi addresses GCC on ease of doing business in India

“Taking India story to the business leaders! Prime Minister Modi painted the vision of a new India and shared the ease of doing business in India with the business leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries,” Kumar said in another tweet.

Taking India story to the business leaders! PM @narendramodi painted the vision of a new India and shared the ease of doing business in India with the business leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries. #MarhabaNamaste pic.twitter.com/uiRv5PLvW9

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 11, 2018

“He spoke at length about the economic opportunities in India and the series of reforms undertaken in the last 3.5 years,” the Prime Minister Office said in tweet.

PM @narendramodi met business leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries. He spoke at length about the economic opportunities in India and the series of reforms undertaken in the last 3.5 years. pic.twitter.com/Ne5qdHzafD

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 11, 2018

On Saturday, India and the UAE signed five MoUs, including in the areas of energy and railways, following delegation-level talks headed by Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan here.

Also read: PM Narendra Modi lays stone for UAE’s 1st Hindu temple

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on the second leg of his three-nation tour, arrived in Abu Dhabi from Jordan on Saturday. This is PM Modi’s second visit to UAE, he had earlier visited the nation in August 2015.

While the UAE is one of the largest suppliers of crude oil to India, it is also the 10th largest investor in India in terms of foreign direct investment, having invested an estimated $8 billion.

As of 2016-17, India-UAE trade stood at around $52 billion, making India the largest trading partner of the UAE. The UAE the fourth largest trading partner of India.

(With agency inputs)