- Prime Minister Modi and President Macron held bilateral talks in Nice on India-France partnership
- They launched the India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030 and a Joint AI Working Group on governance
- Agreements included skilling centre in Kanpur, expanded UPI use in France, and startup incubation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held wide-ranging bilateral talks, reviewing progress under the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership and unveiling a series of initiatives spanning artificial intelligence, innovation, trade, infrastructure, skills development and space cooperation.
The meeting took place in Nice, where Modi and Macron also jointly inaugurated the 'Bharat Innovates' event aimed at strengthening technology and startup collaboration between the two countries.
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In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “A further step to strengthen India-France partnership! PM @narendramodi held bilateral talks with President @EmmanuelMacron where they reviewed the progress in India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership.”
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the two sides adopted the India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030 and agreed to create a Joint India-France AI Working Group focused on AI governance.
Other outcomes included the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics at NSTI Kanpur, expanded possibilities for the use of India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France, incubation support for 10 additional Indian startups at Station F, and the setting up of a Centre of Digital Sciences between India's DST and France's INRIA.
The two countries also agreed to establish a high-level mechanism aimed at doubling bilateral trade over the next five years and instituted an Economic Security Dialogue. In infrastructure, they announced a declaration of intent on cooperation in railway and high-speed railway development.
Strategic cooperation received a further boost with a General Security Agreement on the exchange and protection of classified information and a Letter of Intent between ISRO and CNES on microgravity research and human space exploration.
Addressing questions on Rafale-related engagements, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “Regarding the indigenisation of the Rafale, it has always been our stance and the Prime Minister has emphasized this in all his meetings that India's perspective in the defence sector is to increasingly advance the 'Make in India' concept.”
Modi is also scheduled to attend the G7 Summit and hold meetings with several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump.
(With PTI inputs)
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