New Delhi- India and France on Sunday unveiled an ambitious agenda to deepen their strategic partnership, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreeing to work towards doubling bilateral trade within the next five years and expanding cooperation in emerging technologies, innovation and digital infrastructure.
The wide-ranging talks between the two leaders in the French city of Nice produced 13 key outcomes, including the launch of an Innovation Roadmap 2030, the creation of a joint Artificial Intelligence (AI) Working Group, a new mechanism to boost trade and economic security, and the expansion of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France.
The two sides also finalised a declaration on cooperation in the high-speed railway sector and signed a security agreement for the protection of classified information.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the discussions covered the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including defence, security, space, civil nuclear energy, trade and investment, technology, innovation, education, mobility and people-to-people ties.
“A key focus of the discussions was strengthening and diversifying bilateral cooperation in economic growth, technology and innovation,” Misri said.
One of the major outcomes was the announcement of a high-level mechanism aimed at doubling bilateral trade within five years. Current trade between the two countries stands at around USD 16 billion.
The two nations also agreed to establish a separate dialogue mechanism on economic security, reflecting a growing emphasis on resilient supply chains and strategic economic cooperation.
Under the India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030, both countries will deepen collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, support startup and incubator ecosystems, strengthen industry-academia linkages and promote academic mobility.
To boost cooperation in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, New Delhi and Paris announced the creation of a Joint AI Working Group focused on AI governance, research and development, capacity building and industry exchanges.
In a move expected to benefit Indian tourists, students, business travellers and the Indian diaspora, the two countries also agreed to expand the use of UPI at Paris Airport and in the city of Nice, further extending India’s digital public infrastructure footprint in Europe.
The leaders also announced the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics and Allied Sectors at Kanpur. The centre is expected to support training, institutional partnerships and research in aviation and aerospace while strengthening the workforce for manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities.
According to officials, the outcomes reflect a shared commitment to building a future-oriented partnership centred on innovation, technology and sustainable economic growth.
The two leaders also discussed measures to enhance mobility of students and skilled professionals and expand mutual recognition of educational qualifications. Prime Minister Modi invited French universities to establish campuses in India under the National Education Policy, a proposal welcomed by President Macron.
Modi arrived in France on Saturday night as part of his week-long visit to France and Slovakia.
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