Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice has set a bold trajectory for India–France relations, with both sides agreeing to double bilateral trade to $32 billion within five years.
The talks produced 13 significant outcomes, underscoring the strategic depth and multidimensional nature of the partnership.
The leaders unveiled the India–France Innovation Roadmap 2030 and a joint artificial intelligence framework, designed to expand cooperation in critical and emerging technologies. This includes start-up ecosystems, incubators, academic mobility, and industry–academia linkages. A high-level mechanism has been established to oversee the trade target, alongside a new dialogue on economic security.
Defence cooperation featured prominently, with discussions on India’s plan to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that the underlying principle is “maximum local content” in joint defence projects, aligning with the Make-in-India initiative and the framework of co-development, co-design, and co-production. Talks on the Rafale programme have advanced, reflecting India’s push for indigenous manufacturing and technology integration.
Civil nuclear energy was another major focus. The Jaitapur project, involving EDF and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, was discussed in detail, covering both technical and financial aspects.
PM Modi highlighted India’s recent enactment of the Shanti legislation, which opens the door for French companies to participate directly in India’s nuclear sector, including advanced modular reactors and small modular reactors. This marks a new phase in nuclear cooperation, with opportunities for collaboration between French firms and Indian private sector players.
Technology and innovation were central to the discussions, with Modi stressing a human-centric approach to scientific advancement. The conclusion of negotiations earlier this year on the India–EU free trade agreement adds further relevance to these efforts, as both sides seek to diversify and strengthen economic and technological ties.
Digital cooperation took a tangible step forward with the expansion of India’s UPI payment network to France. UPI will soon be available at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Nice Airport, enhancing convenience for Indian tourists, students, diaspora, and business travellers. This move strengthens India’s digital public infrastructure footprint in Europe.
Education and talent mobility were also addressed. Modi invited French universities to establish campuses in India under the new education policy, while Macron committed to expanding mutual recognition of educational qualifications. Both leaders discussed enhancing student exchanges and talent mobility, reinforcing people-to-people ties.
A National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics and Allied Sectors will be established in Kanpur. This institution will support skilling, institutional linkages, and research in aviation and aerospace, strengthening the workforce for manufacturing and MRO sectors. Nineteen agreements were signed between institutions in the innovation ecosystem of both countries, further embedding collaboration in research and development.
The 13 outcomes included a high-speed railway cooperation declaration, a security pact for classified data, and measures to boost innovation and digital cooperation. Together, these initiatives reflect the breadth of the partnership, spanning defence, nuclear energy, technology, trade, education, and digital infrastructure.
The Modi–Macron meeting in Nice has reaffirmed the Special Global Strategic Partnership between India and France, setting ambitious goals and concrete mechanisms to achieve them. With trade, defence, nuclear energy, and innovation at the forefront, the relationship is poised to enter a new phase of depth and resilience.
ANI
