Modi France Visit Live: India, France Highlight Growing Trilateral Cooperation with Australia, UAE

Modi France Visit Live: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called upon strengthening trade and investment ties between the two countries and committed to further deepening their collaboration in the Indo-Pacific and diverse global forums and initiatives.

After the vast discussions held by the two leaders, they expressed their resolve towards concrete actions enabling global AI to foster positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes beneficial to the public interest.

A joint statement released after the meeting here stated that the spectrum of discussions included all aspects of bilateral relations as well as major issues of global and regional concern.

Both leaders emphasized the urgent need for reform in the United Nations Security Council and agreed to closely coordinate on various issues of global importance including UN Security Council issues.

Macron reiterated France's steadfast support for India's permanent UN Security Council membership.

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The two leaders reiterated their strong commitment to the India-France Strategic Partnership, which they pointed out has satisfactorily matured into a multifaceted relationship in the last 25 years.

The Prime Minister and President flew together from Paris to Marseille in the French Presidential Aircraft last evening to discuss the full gamut of bilateral relations and key global and regional issues.

This was followed by talks at the delegation level upon their arrival in Marseille.

The two leaders reviewed cooperation in defence, civil nuclear energy, and space as strategic areas and strengthened technology and innovation cooperation.

The importance of this pool of cooperation is accentuated in view of the recent AI Action Summit and preparations for the India-France Year of Innovation in 2026, the statement also said.

The leaders agreed on enhancing trade ties and investment.

President Macron would also host a dinner in honour of the Prime Minister in the coastal town of Cassis, near Marseille. Prime Minister invited President Macron to visit India.

A list of 10 outcomes included the India-France Declaration on AI, launch of the logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, and letter of intent between the Indian DST (Department of Science and Technology) and the INRIA France (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique) for the establishment of the Indo-French Centre for the Digital Sciences.

An agreement was also signed to host 10 Indian startups at the French start-up incubator Station F, while a declaration of intent was signed on establishing a partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors.

Other outcomes included the renewal of MoU between the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), for cooperation with the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP).

Also, the implementation of an agreement between DA, Government of India, and CEA, France, concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN), France.

In addition, a joint declaration of intent on Triangular Development Cooperation was signed between the two leaders while inaugurating the Indian consulate in Marseille, and the other was the declaration of intent between the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Modi reached France Monday and co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit alongside Macron.

This is Modi's sixth visit to France and comes after Macron's trip to India in January 2024 as the Chief Guest for India's 75th Republic Day.

The two leaders also toured the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor site here.

They reiterated their call for reformed and effective multilateralism to sustain an equitable and peaceful international order and to address pressing global challenges and prepare the world for emerging developments, including in the technological and economic domains.

The two leaders have especially highlighted the need for urgent reforms in the UN Security Council and have agreed to closely coordinate in the multilateral forums, including UNSC issues.

The two leaders have suggested strengthening discussions on the veto use in cases of mass atrocities.

They held extensive discussions about long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to enhance their engagement in global and regional settings and through multilateral initiatives and institutions.

The two welcomed the continuity of the support of air and sea assets, consistent with the ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024.

Both leaders recognized the advances in collaboration in the construction of Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenization, and particularly in respect to the work done for the integration of DRDO-developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) onto P75-Scorpene submarines and the analyses conducted regarding the possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines.

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Both leaders also welcomed the commissioning on 15 January 2025 of the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene-class project, INS Vaghsheer.

Both sides welcomed the ongoing discussions regarding missiles, helicopter engines, and jet engines.

They were also pleased about the excellent cooperation among the concerned entities of the Safran group with their Indian counterparts.

Modi also invited the French Army to consider the Pinaka rocket launcher, stating that an acquisition of this system by France would mark another milestone in Indo-French defense cooperation.

The introduction of India as an observer to the Eurodrone MALE program managed by OCCAR has been welcomed by President Macron, yet still another step forward in the growing strengths of our partnership in defense equipment programs.

According to the statement, both leaders had a detailed talk on international issues including the Middle-East and the war in Ukraine. They agreed to continue their efforts to coordinate and be regularly involved in each other's affairs.

The two leaders, however, marked a beginning towards tighter collaboration in the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) as they accepted Marseille's strategic positioning within the Mediterranean sea.

They stressed strengthening of EU-India relations in view of the imminent India-EU summit at the earliest at New Delhi.

Trilateralism growing between Australia and the United Arab Emirates received appreciation.

They congratulated the combined military exercises that took place between France, India and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the participation of India, France and Australia in each other's multilateral military exercises.

The two leaders underscored their common commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

They reaffirmed their intentions to intensify bilateral cooperation in the space sector.

The two leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called for the disrupting of financial networks and safe havens for terrorists. Further, they agreed that no country should give sanctuaries to those who finance, plan, support or commit terrorist acts.

The leaders called for joint action against terrorism in all forms.

The ongoing discussions to establish a comprehensive framework for enhancing bilateral aviation cooperation are at advanced stages, the statement said.

Noting that the bilateral trade is at a record level in 2024, they agreed that there exists huge untapped potential for trade and investment between the two nations.

Both leaders expressed the necessity of such strong investor confidence in companies investing in France and in India.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on the successful organization of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024 and thanked him for his willingness to share France's experience and expertise regarding the organization and securing of major international sporting events in view of India's bid to host the Olympics and Paralympics Games in 2036.

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