Mumbai: India, France and Australia have said fair and equitable access to safe and affordable Covid-19 vaccines and treatments globally will be crucial for collective recovery from the pandemic, especially for people in the most vulnerable countries. The three countries also pledged during their first trilateral ministerial dialogue to work together to achieve a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific, and to support freedom of navigation, peaceful resolution of disputes, democratic values, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar, France’s foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne met in London late on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting. The talks were held in person before the Indian delegation began self-isolating after two members tested positive.

The trilateral ministerial dialogue was originally scheduled to be held in New Delhi on the margins of the Raisina Dialogue but was deferred after Payne called off her visit to India amid a massive surge in Coronavirus infections in India