Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a telephonic conversation with French President Francois Hollande, strongly condemned the terror attack on Paris-based satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, offering his condolences on behalf of India.
In the conversation, Prime Minister Modi expressed solidarity with the people of France, adding that President Hollande and the people of his nation will deal with this moment of grief and succeed in combating terrorism.
The Prime Minister also reaffirmed his commitment to cooperation in counter-terrorism as a key element of the growing strategic partnership between India and France.
Thanking the Prime Minister for the phone call, President Hollande stated that India's support meant a lot to the people of France, underlining his commitment to deepen cooperation in defence and security between the two nations.
President Hollande also stated that he looks forward to receiving Prime Minister Modi in France this year.
On Wednesday, gunmen entered the offices of Charlie Hebdo and opened fire. According to reports, 12 people, including two police officers were killed in the attack, with five others seriously wounded.
Charlie Hebdo has reportedly been facing threats after it published a series of cartoon depicting Prophet Muhammad in 2011 and more recently, ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
