PM Modi and President Macron Hold Bilateral Talks, Strengthening India-France Ties

TDT | Manama

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held extensive bilateral discussions, reviewing key areas of cooperation including defense, space, civil nuclear energy, health, and people-to-people engagement. The talks, which began aboard their aircraft en route to Marseille, continued upon landing, with both leaders joined by their respective delegations.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, highlighted the comprehensive nature of the discussions. "These discussions covered the entire gamut of our deep and diverse strategic partnership. The two leaders reviewed progress in the areas of defense, space, civil nuclear cooperation, health, and people-to-people engagement between the two sides," Misri stated.

Boost for Indian Startups and Digital Payments

A significant outcome of the talks was France’s agreement to host Indian startups at the French startup incubator, Station F. The two nations also welcomed the expansion of India's real-time payment system, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), in France, marking a major step in financial technology collaboration.

Focus on Artificial Intelligence and Innovation

The discussions placed a major emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI), with both leaders designating 2026 as the "India-France Year of Innovation." As part of this initiative, the grand inauguration and launch of the official logo for the event will take place in New Delhi in March 2026.

Additionally, a Letter of Intent was signed between India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) and France’s Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) to establish the Indo-French Center for Digital Sciences, reinforcing their joint commitment to digital innovation.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation Strengthened

In a key development, India and France reaffirmed their partnership in civil nuclear energy by convening the first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy. The two countries signed a Letter of Intent on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR). Further collaboration was cemented through an Implementing Agreement between India’s Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and France’s INSTN, CEA for the training and education of nuclear professionals.

"Given the coming revolution in AI and the demands that it will make on the energy sector, the development of SMRs and AMRs is a particularly promising vector for future India-France cooperation," Misri emphasized.

Moreover, the two sides renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India’s DAE and France’s Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA) to enhance cooperation with the GCNEP.

Strengthening Indo-Pacific and Global Engagement

Apart from technology and economic partnerships, PM Modi and President Macron expressed satisfaction with their ongoing collaboration in health, culture, tourism, and education. They reaffirmed their commitment to deepening engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and global forums, highlighting their shared vision for strategic stability and sustainable development.

The latest developments reinforce the long-standing and deep-rooted partnership between India and France, further solidifying their status as key global allies in technological and economic advancement.