Jaishankar Talks West Asia Crisis with Barrot as India-France Armies Exchange Views on Precision Strikes

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Wednesday (March 11, 2026) held telephonic talks with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot to discuss the West Asian conflict.

“Appreciate the exchange of assessments today with FM Jean-Noel Barrot of France on the West Asia conflict. Look forward to continuing it in person,” Jaishankar said in an X post after the phone call.

The two ministers spoke over the phone amidst an escalation in the West Asian war, which began on February 28 when a US-Israel joint airstrike on Iran killed the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

That attack on Iran triggered a massive response from Tehran, which attacked all US-Israel military assets in other nations in the Gulf region, apart from stopping all transit by cargo ships through the Hormuz Strait, resulting in oil supply disruptions globally.

Only on Tuesday (March 10, 2026), Jaishankar held extensive phone calls with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, regarding the war in West Asia, as well as with his South Korean and German counterparts, Cho Hyun and Johann Wadephul.

Meanwhile, the Indian and French armies held professional exchanges on Monday (March 9) and Tuesday (March 10) to discuss modern warfare, particularly precision strikes.

The two armies conducted a Subject Matter Expert Exchange to strengthen professional military cooperation and enhance mutual understanding of evolving aspects of modern warfare.

The Indian Army said the exchange of ideas focused on Long-Range Vectors (LRVs) and Precision-Guided Munitions (PGMs), which have been widely deployed in recent wars.

The LRVs and PGMs are increasingly critical on contemporary battlefields, according to military experts from both armies, who exchanged views on operational employment, doctrinal developments, and emerging technologies shaping their use in present-day conflicts.

The discussions highlighted the growing importance of long-range strike capabilities of armies to hit strategic targets at depth, while minimising collateral damage.

The experts also examined the global trends in deep-strike operations and precision attacks.

The dialogue was part of a broader defence cooperation between India and France to achieve interoperability, deepen professional understanding between the two armies, and share best practices amid emerging global trends in modern warfare.