French Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu on Monday laid a wreath at National War Memorial, as he began the Delhi leg of his visit.

"As he begins the #Delhi leg of his visit, French Minister for the Armed Forces @SebLecornu lays a wreath and pays tribute to India's valiant soldiers at #NationalWarMemorial," French envoy to India Emmanuel Lenain tweeted. Rajnath Singh will co-chair the 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with the Minister of Armed Forces of the French Republic during his visit to India.

Lecornu today will inspect the tri-service guard of honour in presence of his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

According to the Defence Ministry statement, the French Minister shall also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. This is the first visit of Mr Sebastien Lecornu as French Minister of Armed Forces to India.

On Sunday, he visited Headquarters Southern Naval Command at Kochi and see India's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

"In #Kochi, French Min @SebLecornu visits #IACVikrant. He praised India on joining the club of nations capable of building aircraft carriers & highlighted the central role of France-India naval cooperation in France's strategy for the #IndoPacific," envoy Lenain tweeted on Sunday.

According to Defence Ministry, India and France have close and friendly relations. In 1998, the two countries entered into Strategic Partnership, marking the convergence of their views on a range of international issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship.

India and France are partners in defence and armaments, contributing to India's policy of strategic autonomy in the defence sector through numerous industrial cooperation. (ANI)