Statement by Jean-Yves Le Drian - India – Death of Sushma Swaraj (8 août 2019)

I was saddened and dismayed to learn of the death of Sushma Swaraj; I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to her family and to the Indian people.

Sushma Swaraj, who served as external affairs minister from 2014 to 2019, was an exceptional, astute and warm interlocutor who was able to speak for India with great resolve and effectiveness on the international stage. A leading political figure, she demonstrated throughout her outstanding career a remarkable commitment to serving her country and fellow citizens.

Convinced of the strategic nature of our bilateral relations, she played a very active role in strengthening them. In this respect, I have fond memories of our most recent meetings in Delhi in December and in Paris in June 2018.