France, India say they share concerns over China’s rise

NEW DELHI (AP) — The French foreign minister says the war in Ukraine will not overshadow France’s commitments to the Indo-Pacific region, where India and its allies view China’s rising influence with suspicion. Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and her Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday discussed the security situation in the region and the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including concerns about food security and rising inflation. Colonna says the two countries share the same concern about China’s role in the region. Indian and Chinese soldiers last week began pulling back from a key border friction point following a standoff that has led to deadly clashes. Jaishankar says the disengagement is completed.