Modi-Macron duo power India-France ties on wings of tech, innovation

In the capital of the French Riveira, famed for its deep blue waters, India and France forged a new tapestry of their multi-hued relations that will pivot around technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a flair for summing up the essence of bilateral relations in a set of catchy buzzwords and acronyms. Inaugurating the “Bharat Innovates,” a new platform showcasing India’s tech prowess, in the coastal city of Nice, with French President Emmanuel Macron by his side, he said: “This relationship is marked by both connection and conviction. It embodies both innovation and inspiration. It is founded upon shared values as well as a shared vision.”

It wasn’t just word play. The talks between PM Modi and Macron at Villa Kerylos in Nice culminated in substantive outcomes that included the adoption of “Innovation Roadmap 2030,” setting up of a high-level mechanism for doubling bilateral trade within five years, the launch of an economic security dialogue, enhanced collaboration in defence co-production and fast-tracking civil nuclear cooperation.

The other key outcomes included the creation of an India-France joint working group focusing on Artificial Intelligence and its global governance, a pact on establishing a center of excellence in skilling in aeronautics at the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, and a declaration of intent on cooperation in the railways sector and other areas.

Innovation Roadmap

Innovation formed the centrepiece of this phase of enhanced partnership. The “Innovation Roadmap 2030,” launched after the talks in Nice, provides a long-term direction to the tech-driven partnership. The signing of 19 agreements among institutions in the innovation ecosystems of both countries has expanded the canvas for collaboration across the spectrum.

“Both leaders discussed expanding cooperation on Artificial Intelligence and agreed to create a Joint India-France AI Working Group for the purpose,” said a summary of the talks by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Looking ahead, the two countries will intensify cooperation in sectors such as deep-tech, semiconductors, agri-tech, med-tech, renewable energy, defence and space.

Addressing the leaders of tech companies in India and France, PM Modi showcased India as a provider of solutions to global challenges. “The Bharat Innovates platform is emerging as a bridge between Indian talent and European capital. It is a platform where young minds from India are getting the opportunity to connect with European expertise.”

Bharat Innovates brought together about 120 Indian Deep Tech startups, as well as innovators and top technology institutions and close to 500 investors, venture capitalists and business leaders from France, from India and from around the world.

“An India that is emerging not merely as a consumer of solutions, but as a contributor of solutions,” said PM Modi. “Bharat innovates with scale and speed. Bharat innovates for a sustainable future. And Bharat innovates for the whole world.”

Nuclear Energy

Enhancing and fast-tracking nuclear energy cooperation featured prominently in discussion. Giving an update of nuclear talks, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the discussion on the Jaitapur project has been going on between EDF, Électricité de France, and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited on “both the technical aspects of this project as also the very important financial aspects of the project.”

“In parallel, there is a rich vein of discussions that has been opened on the aspect of small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors,” said Mr Mistri.

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Manish Chand: Manish Chand is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) and India and World, a pioneering magazine focused on international affairs. He is CEO, Centre for Global India Insights, an India-based think tank focused on global affairs.

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