Overview
- Modi and Macron jointly opened the Bharat Innovates 2026 conclave and on Sunday adopted the India‑France Innovation Roadmap 2030 to guide cooperation in AI, semiconductors, space, biotech and other critical technologies.
- The two leaders set up a Joint India‑France AI Working Group and announced an Economic Security Dialogue and other institutional hooks intended to turn declared aims into coordinated projects.
- They agreed to create a high‑level mechanism to double annual bilateral trade from about USD 16 billion within five years and signed multiple institutional pacts to support business and research links.
- Practical operational steps were announced, including UPI payment acceptance at Nice and Paris airports and a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics at Kanpur that aims to train workers for manufacturing and MRO roles.
- The package reinforces the elevated 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' and could open French industry to India’s startup and tech ecosystem while prompting regulatory and funding work by both governments to implement the commitments.