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India, France unveil Innovation Roadmap 2030, defence cooperation focused on indigenisation and progress on civil nuclear cooperation, deepen strategic technology partnership between the two countries
India and France elevated their strategic partnership into a new era of technology, innovation and economic security on Sunday – June 15, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron adopted an ambitious Innovation Roadmap 2030 and launched a new India-France Dialogue on Economic Security during bilateral talks held in Nice.
The announcements came as Prime Minister Modi began his official engagements in France by jointly inaugurating Bharat Innovates 2026 alongside President Macron, a flagship technology conference. Bharat Innovates puts thrust on showcasing India's rapidly expanding deep-tech ecosystem to a global audience.
Prime Minister Modi began his official engagements in France by jointly inaugurating Bharat Innovates 2026 alongside President Macron, a flagship technology conference
The event brought together nearly 120 Indian deep-tech startups, leading innovators, research institutions, and around 500 investors, venture business leaders from France and India. Largely, it represented cutting-edge sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced computing, MedTech, AgriTech, defence technologies, space systems and renewable energy.
Here, two leaders highlighted the growing convergence between India's innovation-driven growth strategy and France's technological ambitions, underscoring the importance of trusted partnerships in shaping the future global technology landscape.
A key outcome of the summit was certainly the adoption of the Innovation Roadmap 2030, which seeks to strengthen collaboration in emerging technologies, research and development, startup ecosystems and industrial innovation.
The roadmap is expected to serve as the guiding framework for bilateral cooperation as the key mechanism.
The event brought together nearly 120 Indian deep-tech startups, leading innovators, research institutions, and around 500 investors, venture business leaders from France and India
The two countries also established a Dialogue on Economic Security, on growing concerns among major economies about supply-chain resilience, critical technologies, strategic industries and technological sovereignty.
To support broader economic engagement, India and France agreed to establish a high-level mechanism aimed at doubling bilateral trade within the next five years.
In another significant step, the two sides announced the creation of an India-France Joint Working Group on Artificial Intelligence and Global AI Governance, signalling their intention to play a greater role in shaping international norms and standards governing emerging AI technologies.
According to the statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the summit witnessed the signing of 19 agreements between institutions from the innovation ecosystems of both countries, covering research collaboration, startup partnerships, skill development and industrial innovation.
Among the notable outcomes was a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Centre of Excellence in Aeronautics Skilling at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, aimed at developing a highly skilled workforce for the aerospace sector.
The summit witnessed the signing of 19 agreements between institutions from the innovation ecosystems of both countries
The two countries also signed a Declaration of Intent on cooperation in the railway sector, adding transportation infrastructure to the growing list of areas covered under the bilateral partnership.
Defence and aerospace cooperation featured prominently during the discussions, particularly in the context of India's ongoing efforts to expand domestic defence manufacturing capabilities.
According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, discussions extended beyond the Rafale fighter aircraft programme and focused on a broader principle of increasing local production and indigenous content across all future defence collaborations.
Defence and aerospace cooperation featured prominently during the discussions, particularly in the context of India's ongoing efforts to expand domestic defence manufacturing capabilities
"The underlying theme was that regardless of the defence platform under discussion, we should move forward on the basis of maximizing local content and local manufacturing, and our cooperation should be designed with that objective in mind," Misri said.
The emphasis aligns with India's drive for self-reliance in defence production under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and comes amid ongoing cooperation between New Delhi and Paris on advanced aerospace platforms and defence technologies.
The leaders also reviewed progress on the long-pending civil nuclear energy partnership, including discussions on the proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project.
The leaders also reviewed progress on the long-pending civil nuclear energy partnership, including discussions on the proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project
Misri said talks have continued between Électricitê de France (EDF) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) on both technical and financial aspects of the project.
"The discussion has primarily been carried on between EDF and NPCIL on both the technical aspects of this project as well as the very important financial aspects of the project," he noted.
The outcomes of the Nice summit reflect the broadening scope of the India-France strategic partnership beyond traditional defence cooperation into areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor technologies, advanced manufacturing, innovation ecosystems, economic security and clean energy.
As geopolitical competition increasingly centres on technology and resilient supply chains, the launch of the Innovation Roadmap 2030 and the Economic Security Dialogue signals a shared determination by New Delhi and Paris to build a long-term partnership anchored in innovation, industrial cooperation and strategic autonomy.
Prime Minister Modi's visit to France spanned beyond defence to startups, manufacturing, AI governance, civil nuclear energy and skills development. The summit has positioned India and France to play a larger role in shaping the technological and economic architecture of the coming decade.
Manish Kumar Jha is a Consulting & Contributing Editor for SP's Aviation, SP's Land Forces and SP's Naval Forces and a security expert. He writes on national security, military technology, strategic affairs & policies.
