India-France Ties Enter New Phase: PM Modi and President Macron Unveil Ambitious Trade, AI and Defence Initiatives
India and France have taken significant steps to deepen their strategic partnership, unveiling an ambitious roadmap aimed at expanding cooperation in trade, technology, defence, innovation and space exploration.
Among the major outcomes of the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice on Sunday were plans to double annual bilateral trade from the current $16 billion to $32 billion within the next five years, launch an India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030, establish a joint working group on artificial intelligence governance and initiate a new economic security dialogue.
The two leaders also agreed to substantially strengthen collaboration in the defence and space sectors, reaffirming the growing importance of the India-France relationship in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Modi Begins Multi-City European Visit
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Nice on Saturday as part of his multi-nation European tour. Following his engagements in France, he is scheduled to travel to Slovakia from June 14 to June 16.
The Prime Minister will then return to France to participate in the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains on June 16 and 17 and is also expected to visit Paris.
After he met with President Macron, Modi took to X and described the discussions as productive and forward-looking.
“Nice to have met you in Nice.
A productive first leg indeed. The India-France partnership will keep scaling new heights. See you in Evian and Paris,” the Prime Minister posted.
First Meeting Since Elevation of Strategic Ties
The meeting marked the first interaction between Modi and Macron since India and France elevated their relationship to the status of a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” earlier this year.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders held extensive discussions covering virtually every major dimension of bilateral cooperation.
“The two leaders held extensive discussions covering diverse aspects of bilateral relations,” the MEA said in a statement.
The talks focused on strengthening and diversifying cooperation in areas including economic growth, technology and innovation, mobility of talent, education, cultural exchanges and people-to-people connections.
Target to Double Bilateral Trade in Five Years
One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the decision to establish a high-level mechanism aimed at doubling bilateral trade within the next five years.
Recognising the steady expansion in commercial exchanges between the two countries, both leaders agreed that greater economic integration would unlock substantial opportunities for businesses and investors in both nations.
The leaders also called for the early conclusion and implementation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, which they believe could significantly enhance trade volumes and investment flows.
The MEA stated that both sides explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in several key sectors, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), aviation and railways.
In another important initiative, India and France welcomed the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics in Kanpur, which is expected to help create a highly skilled workforce for the aviation and aerospace industries.
New Economic Security Dialogue and Critical Minerals Cooperation
Recognising the growing importance of economic resilience and secure supply chains, the two countries also agreed to launch a dedicated Dialogue on Economic Security.
The new platform will focus on improving supply chain resilience and reducing vulnerabilities in strategically important sectors, particularly in the supply of critical minerals that are essential for modern technologies, renewable energy systems and advanced manufacturing.
Defence Cooperation to Become Even Deeper
Defence collaboration continues to remain one of the strongest pillars of the India-France partnership.
According to the MEA, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the remarkable growth and depth of defence cooperation across all domains and agreed to further intensify collaboration with a focus on co-design, co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies and military platforms.
India and France already enjoy extensive defence cooperation spanning air, naval and missile systems, as well as helicopter engine manufacturing.
Several flagship projects underscore this strategic relationship, including:
- Rafale fighter jets acquired by the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy
- Scorpene-class submarines
- Shakti helicopter engines
During President Macron’s visit to India in January 2024, both countries had decided to establish an H125 Helicopter Final Assembly Line at Vemagal in Karnataka.
The facility, developed through a partnership between Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus, was formally inaugurated in February 2026 and represents a major step towards defence manufacturing and technology transfer in India.
Expanding Cooperation in Space Exploration
The two leaders also acknowledged the rich legacy of Indo-French cooperation in the space sector and expressed their commitment to expanding collaboration further.
According to the MEA, discussions covered cooperation in human spaceflight missions, space situational awareness and opportunities for increasing private sector participation in space-related activities.
India and France share a long-standing space partnership spanning more than six decades between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and France’s Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).
This collaboration has contributed significantly to satellite launches, earth observation missions and scientific research.
New Opportunities in Civil Nuclear Energy
The leaders also discussed cooperation in civil nuclear energy and highlighted the opportunities created by India’s SHANTI Act.
According to the MEA, the new legislative framework opens avenues for collaboration in emerging technologies, including small modular reactors and advanced modular nuclear reactor systems.
As countries increasingly seek clean and sustainable energy sources, civil nuclear cooperation is expected to become another important area of partnership between New Delhi and Paris.
India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030 Unveiled
Recognising the growing importance of innovation and technology in shaping future economic growth, both countries adopted an ambitious “Innovation Roadmap 2030.”
The roadmap is designed to provide long-term direction to the strategic partnership and create new opportunities in advanced technologies and emerging industries.
Prime Minister Modi and President Macron also discussed expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence and agreed to establish a Joint India-France AI Working Group.
The proposed mechanism will focus on AI governance, responsible innovation and collaborative research in next-generation technologies.
Cooperation in Deep-Tech and Emerging Technologies
The joint inauguration of Bharat Innovates in Nice and Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming participation in VivaTech in Paris have further strengthened cooperation between the two countries in several cutting-edge sectors.
These include:
- Deep technology
- Semiconductors
- Agri-tech
- Medical technology
- Renewable energy
- Defence technology
- Space innovation
Both countries also welcomed the signing of 19 agreements involving institutions from the innovation ecosystems of India and France.
UPI Expands Further in France
Another important development highlighted during the meeting was the continued expansion of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France.
According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, airports in both Nice and Paris will now support UPI transactions, making digital payments easier for Indian travellers and further promoting India’s digital public infrastructure on the global stage.
Boosting Education and People-to-People Connections
The two leaders also emphasised the importance of strengthening human connections between the two countries.
Prime Minister Modi thanked President Macron for the swift implementation of visa-free airport transit facilities for Indian nationals travelling through French airports.
In the education sector, both sides discussed ways to facilitate greater mobility of students, researchers and skilled professionals.
The discussions also focused on expanding mutual recognition of educational qualifications and creating more opportunities for academic collaboration.
The Prime Minister invited French universities to establish campuses in India under the framework of the National Education Policy, potentially opening new avenues for international education and academic exchange.
Cultural and Heritage Cooperation
Beyond economics and technology, India and France also agreed to strengthen cooperation between museums and cultural institutions.
The two sides discussed collaboration involving the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal and explored ways to preserve and promote cultural heritage through institutional partnerships.
Exchange of Views on Global Issues
The leaders also exchanged views on several pressing international developments, including the evolving situations in West Asia and Ukraine.
Prime Minister Modi expressed his appreciation to President Macron for involving India in substantive consultations ahead of the upcoming G7 Summit in Evian.
The discussions reflected the increasing convergence between India and France on major global issues and highlighted their shared commitment to promoting peace, stability and multilateral cooperation.
Strategic Partnership Poised for Greater Heights
Concluding the discussions, both leaders reaffirmed the significance of the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership in creating new opportunities for their citizens and contributing to international peace, stability and prosperity.
The outcomes of the Nice meeting demonstrate that India and France are no longer merely strategic partners but increasingly important collaborators in shaping the future of global trade, technology, security and innovation.
With ambitious targets in commerce, artificial intelligence, defence manufacturing and education, the partnership appears poised to enter an even more dynamic and consequential phase in the years ahead.
