Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (February 17) held wide-ranging bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, marking a new chapter in ties between India and France. The discussions focused on the next phase of cooperation in defence, security, clean energy, critical minerals, technology, and people-to-people linkages.
The key highlight of the visit was the decision to elevate bilateral ties to a "Special Global Strategic Partnership", reflecting the depth, scale, and ambition of India–France cooperation. Both leaders committed to strengthening collaboration across defence, trade, joint manufacturing, critical minerals supply chain, and advanced technologies, while also aligning their long-term vision under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
During their engagement in Mumbai, Modi and Macron reviewed strategic and security cooperation, trade and investment, research and development, education, and innovation. In a significant announcement, the two sides unveiled 21 major outcomes spanning defence, tech and innovation, startups, critical minerals, advanced materials, health, and skilling.
Key outcomes of French President Macron's visit to India:
- Upgrading of the India-France relationship to "Special Global Strategic Partnership"
- Establishment of annual Foreign Ministers Dialogue for regularly reviewing implementation of the elevated partnership and Horizon 2047 Roadmap
- Launch of the India-France Year of Innovation
- Launch of the India-France Innovation Network
- Inauguration of H125 Helicopter Final Assembly Line at Vemagal, Karnataka
- Renewal of the Agreement between Government of India and French Republic on Defence Cooperation
- Joint Venture between BEL and Safran to produce HAMMER missiles in India
- Reciprocal deployment of officers at Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments
- Constitution of a Joint Advanced Technology Development Group
- Joint Declaration of Intent for Cooperation in Critical Minerals and Metals
- Letter of Intent to establish a Centre on Advanced Materials between DST and CNRS
- Amending Protocol on the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement between India and France
- Letter of Intent between T-Hub and Nord France on strategic cooperation in start-up ecosystems, innovation and technology
- MoU for scientific collaboration between DST and CNRS
- Joint Declaration of Intent on establishing an Indo-French Centre for Digital Sciences and Technology
- Launch of the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health at AIIMS, New Delhi
- Letter of Intent between DBT and ANRS on Cooperation in Research and Development on Infectious Diseases and Global Health Research
- Agreement for the establishment of the Indo-French Centre for Metabolic Health Sciences
- Letter of Intent to establish a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics
- Renewal of the MoU between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty on Renewable Energy Cooperation
- Letter of Intent between the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications and La Poste, France
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