Marseille, June 13 -- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday appreciated France for the strong condemnation of the cross-border terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 and France's support for India's right to defend itself against terrorism.

Speaking to the press alongside French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday, Jaishankar said that the strategic partnership between India and France is based on shared values, strong sense of sovereignty, democratic commitment, independence, strategic autonomy, guiding foreign policy, and commitment to multilateralism and respect for international law. He stated that he and Barrot discussed defence, civilian nuclear energy, space.

On his talks with Jean-Noel Barrot,...