New Delhi: India and France on Tuesday have upgraded their bilateral relations to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai. The talk highlights stronger cooperation in defence and security, including joint production of advanced weapons and helicopters. Both sides announced 21 key outcomes across various fields, aiming to boost economic security, global issues, and people-to-people ties.
Following the talk PM Modi said in a post on X “We have elevated our relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership.We discussed cooperation in industry, defence, clean energy, space and emerging technologies. Our nations will also build strong networks between StartUps and MSMEs, facilitate student and researcher exchanges and establish new joint innovation centres.”
“2026 is a turning point in the relations between India and Europe. The FTA with the EU will bring unprecedented momentum to India-France ties as well,” he added further.
Macron said, “India is one of France’s most trusted partners. We are expanding defence cooperation from Rafale fighter jets and engines for fifth-generation fighter aircraft to submarines.”
The partnership builds on the 25th anniversary of their strategic ties in 2023 and the Horizon 2047 Roadmap. It aims to help both countries build prosperity, resilience, and security while addressing global challenges. Modi and Macron jointly inaugurated the 2026 India-France Year of Innovation and the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit. This is Macron’s fourth visit to India, following Modi’s trip to France in 2025.
We’re working on a common roadmap to address global challenges and find a path for the world that’s distinct from hegemony. Aeronautics is also a key area, and the high-speed rail network is another area where we’re emerging as a reliable partner, Macron added.
A major focus was on defence and security, where both nations agreed to intensify joint research, co-design, co-development, and co-production of advanced platforms in air, naval, and land systems. They renewed their defence cooperation agreement and set up a Joint Advanced Technology Development Group for critical technologies. The leaders welcomed a technical arrangement between France’s DGA and India’s DRDO from November 2025 for research partnerships.
In defence deals, they hailed the contract for 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets and ongoing talks on helicopter and jet engines. Safran and Indian firms are partnering on engines, including for the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH). A joint venture between Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran will produce HAMMER missiles in India.
The leaders virtually inaugurated the H125 Final Assembly Line in Karnataka, a Tata-Airbus facility. “We take pride in the fact that, together, India and France will manufacture in India the world’s only helicopter capable of flying to the heights of Mount Everest and export it to the entire world,” Modi said. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected in early 2027, boosting local manufacturing, jobs, and self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
They noted the success of the Scorpene submarine program, with the sixth submarine delivered in January 2025, and agreed to continue submarine cooperation. Military exercises like Varuna, Shakti, and Garuda in 2025 were praised, along with plans for more operational engagements. Reciprocal deployment of officers in each other’s armies will start in 2026 to build mutual understanding.
On security, both condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border threats. Macron said that “we want to keep up our fight against terrorism as well, and we reject all terrorist groups”.
India backed France’s hosting of the No Money For Terror Conference in Paris in May 2026. A Letter of Intent between India’s NSG and France’s GIGN from November 2025 will enhance counter-terrorism ties. The September 2025 counter-terrorism dialogue showed growing intelligence cooperation. They also agreed to deepen cyber cooperation through dialogues in 2026 and coordinate at the UN on responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
Beyond defence and security, the outcomes covered innovation, climate, and people ties. They launched the India-France Innovation Network to connect startups, businesses, and incubators digitally. A Letter of Intent between T-Hub and Nord France Invest will boost startup ecosystems. France plans to bring VivaTech to India with the Bangalore Tech Summit.
In science, they renewed MoUs between CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (French National Centre for Scientific Research) and DST (Department of Science & Technology (Government of India), and set up a Joint Centre for Advanced Materials. A Joint Declaration of Intent creates an Indo-French Centre for Digital Sciences and Technology. They called for ANR-DST projects in AI and math.
On climate and planet, they reaffirmed the Paris Agreement and committed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. They supported the CDRI and ISA, with talks for an ISA European office in Paris. A renewed MoU on renewable energy and a Joint Declaration on critical minerals aim for resilient supply chains. They welcomed the UN Ocean Conference success in Nice 2025 and pushed for marine protected areas under the BBNJ Treaty.
In nuclear energy, they explored cooperation on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) between CEA and DAE, noting India’s 100 GW target by 2047. Discussions continue on the Jaitapur project.
Economic ties saw an amendment to the double tax avoidance protocol for better investments. UPI’s growth in France was hailed, with plans for wider acceptance. A Joint Declaration on railways covers high-speed tech, sustainability, and training.
For people-to-people links, they signed an MoU on skill development and a Letter of Intent for a National Centre of Excellence in Aeronautics at NSTI Kanpur. Health cooperation includes an AI research centre at AIIMS with Sorbonne and Paris Brain Institute. Partnerships like PariSanté-C-CAMP and Health Data Hub-ICMR focus on digital health. A Letter of Intent on infectious diseases and a centre for metabolic health were announced.
Cultural outcomes include the ‘Villa Swagatam’ network and events for the 2026 Innovation Year. France will host an India-focused year at Guimet Museum in 2028 and exhibitions on textiles and photography. Namaste France will return in 2028. They aim to boost French language teaching in India and reach 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030 via International Classes.
An upcoming visa-free transit for Indians through French airports (pilot for six months) and the Migration and Mobility Agreement will ease movement. Academic meetings at AIIMS involved over 200 institutions, promoting joint degrees.
On global issues, they supported UNSC reform, with France backing India’s permanent seat. They discussed Ukraine, calling for peace per UN Charter; Iran, urging dialogue; and Gaza, backing Resolution 2803 for a two-state solution.
Modi called the ties “very crucial”, The friendship between the two countries has “no boundaries” and it can “reach from deep oceans to the tallest mountains,” while Macron said India is a trusted partner expanding defence cooperation. The partnership aims for sovereignty, rules-based order in Indo-Pacific, and EU-India FTA conclusion.
India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership opens a new chapter in relations between the two countries. It creates more opportunities for the people of India and France. The partnership, guided by the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, will deepen cooperation in defence, innovation, AI, climate action, nuclear energy, space, education, culture, skills, and people-to-people ties. It aims to promote international peace, stability, and prosperity while helping both nations address global challenges together.
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