India and France Forge Innovation Partnership for Future Growth
Strengthening Ties Through Innovation
File image of PM Modi with France' prez Emmanuel Macron(Photo: X)
New Delhi, June 15: India’s aspiration for ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ aligns closely with France’s ‘France 2030’ initiative, creating a robust foundation for a forward-looking innovation partnership that opens doors to new investment avenues in groundbreaking technologies, as stated by the government on Monday.
Consequently, India and France are implementing the India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030, which will serve as a guiding framework for their joint efforts in advancing co-development in vital and emerging technologies, enhancing trusted technology ecosystems, fostering academic and research mobility, and achieving tangible benefits for society and the environment.
Both nations view innovation as a key factor in promoting economic resilience, sustainable growth, strategic independence, and technological sovereignty.
According to an official announcement, both parties believe that a fortified innovation partnership will unleash the complete innovative capabilities of both countries and aid in addressing global challenges.
Building on the India–France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence from February 2025 and the AI Action and Impact Summits held in France and India in 2025 and 2026, respectively, both nations have agreed to prioritize 'trusted AI' within their innovation collaboration, the statement noted.
Additionally, they will collaborate to ensure the development of safe, secure, and reliable AI systems that uphold democratic principles and human rights, mitigate discrimination, curb misinformation, and support the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
They will also promote cooperation among regulators, standards organizations, and technical experts to develop interoperable, risk-based AI governance strategies, particularly for advanced and generative models, while ensuring that innovation and national progress are not hindered.
Recognizing the significant risks that AI services pose to vulnerable groups, especially children in the digital space, India and France have committed to enhancing their cooperation on online child safety as a priority within their AI partnership.
Importantly, both countries acknowledge the necessity of privacy-preserving data-sharing frameworks to fully realize the potential of AI and data-driven innovation while protecting fundamental rights.
Aligned with the Horizon 2047 objectives, both nations agree that investments in STEM education, research collaborations, talent mobility, and institutional partnerships will be crucial in equipping future generations to tackle global challenges.
“In this context, both parties recognize France’s goal of hosting 30,000 Indian students by 2030 and reaffirm their dedication to enhancing people-to-people connections as a cornerstone of their bilateral relationship,” the statement added.
Moreover, various institutions from both countries have committed to working together on academic mobility through student exchanges and research initiatives.
Recognizing the essential role of small and medium enterprises in fostering innovation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth, both nations plan to explore further interactions between their SME ecosystems.