Narendra Modi in France: Tech, innovation to dominate bilateral agenda
The Prime Minister's France visit placed deep-technology cooperation, AI governance, and defence at the centre of the bilateral agenda.
In Nice, both leaders jointly inaugurated "Bharat Innovates," a platform connecting Indian deep-tech startups with French and international investors and research institutions.
India presented the MANAV Vision — its human-centric AI governance framework — at bilateral forums and at VivaTech 2026 in Paris, where India serves as AI Country Partner.
The bilateral agenda included discussions on Rafale Marine jet acquisitions, Scorpene submarine cooperation, and the integration of indigenous Indian weapons systems on existing Rafale aircraft.
The India-France Year of Innovation 2026 provides the institutional framework for these engagements, covering AI, cybersecurity, defence technology, and sustainable innovation.
India's MANAV Vision for AI Governance
At the India AI Impact Summit in Mumbai in February 2026, the Prime Minister unveiled the MANAV Vision — India's comprehensive framework for ethical, sovereign, and human-centric artificial intelligence governance. MANAV is an acronym: Moral and Ethical Systems, Accountable Governance, National Sovereignty, Accessible and Inclusive AI, and Valid and Legitimate Systems. The framework reflects India's approach to AI as both an economic enabler and a domain requiring democratic accountability and data sovereignty. France was an early supporter — President Macron co-chaired the AI Impact Summit, backing India's AI leadership role.
Key Details
- Unveiled: February 2026, India AI Impact Summit, Mumbai
- Five pillars: Moral systems, Accountable governance, National sovereignty, Accessible/inclusive AI, Valid/legitimate systems
- India designated AI Country Partner for VivaTech 2026
- Framework addresses deepfakes, data sovereignty, inclusive AI deployment
The France visit provided an international stage for India to advance the MANAV Vision beyond its domestic announcement, positioning India as a rule-shaper in global AI governance — a stance with significance for multilateral AI norm-setting at forums such as the G7 and OECD.
India-France Space Cooperation: ISRO and CNES
Space cooperation is one of the three foundational pillars of the India-France Strategic Partnership (alongside civil nuclear and defence). The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) have a history of collaboration spanning several decades. A joint declaration for cooperation in future launch vehicle technologies was concluded, as was an agreement for the joint Earth observation mission TRISHNA (Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural resource Assessment). The first India-France Strategic Space Dialogue was held in Paris in June 2023, establishing civil and defence space cooperation tracks under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
Key Details
- ISRO-CNES collaboration spans decades; covers launch vehicles, Earth observation, maritime domain awareness
- TRISHNA: joint Earth observation satellite mission
- First India-France Strategic Space Dialogue: Paris, June 26, 2023
- Horizon 2047 Roadmap includes dedicated space cooperation track
- Areas: civil space, defence space, space situational awareness
The 2026 visit deepens the space agenda under the Year of Innovation framework, building on the 2023 Strategic Space Dialogue and moving from institutional frameworks towards technology transfer and joint mission implementation.
India-France Defence Cooperation: From Rafale to Indigenous Integration
India-France defence ties represent the most substantive component of their strategic partnership. A Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2006, formalising joint exercises, technology transfer, and equipment procurement. The most landmark transaction was the September 2016 government-to-government deal for 36 Rafale multirole combat aircraft at €7.8 billion — a deal that demonstrated India's preference for direct inter-government procurement to ensure technology and maintenance provisions. France is among India's top defence suppliers alongside Russia, the United States, and Israel.
Currently, discussions centre on: (a) the Rafale Marine variant for India's carrier-based naval aviation; (b) continuation of the P75 Scorpene submarine programme under which six submarines are being built at Mazagon Dock Limited; and (c) indigenisation — integrating Indian-made weapons and systems into existing Rafale airframes, which has implications for India's Atmanirbhar Bharat defence manufacturing programme.
Key Details
- Defence Cooperation Agreement signed: 2006
- Rafale deal: 36 aircraft, €7.8 billion, signed September 2016; deliveries completed 2019–2022
- Scorpene submarine programme (P75): 6 submarines at Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai
- Horizon 2047 Roadmap: defence is under "Partnership for Security and Sovereignty" pillar
- Rafale Marine: under discussion for Indian Navy aircraft carrier operations
The 2026 bilateral agenda on defence represents continuity in a long-arc procurement and indigenisation strategy — with the Rafale Marine and indigenous weapons integration discussions directly relevant to India's naval modernisation and Make in India defence production goals.
VivaTech 2026 and India's Deep-Tech Diplomacy
VivaTech is Europe's largest technology and startup event, held annually in Paris. India's designation as AI Country Partner for VivaTech 2026 — with the largest national pavilion at the event — marks a shift in how India uses bilateral diplomacy to project technology leadership. The Bharat Innovates platform, launched in Nice, is explicitly designed to connect Indian deep-tech startups with venture capital and research institutions from France and other countries, creating a private-sector pipeline alongside the government-to-government frameworks.
Key Details
- VivaTech 2026: India's AI Country Partner designation; largest national pavilion
- Bharat Innovates: launched Nice, June 2026; connects Indian deep-tech startups with international VCs
- India-France Year of Innovation 2026: jointly inaugurated February 17, 2026 in Mumbai
The tech diplomacy elements of this visit — Bharat Innovates and VivaTech — signal India's effort to embed itself in European innovation ecosystems at the startup and venture capital level, complementing the government-level frameworks with market-level integration.
- MANAV Vision: unveiled February 2026; five pillars for AI governance
- Rafale deal: 36 aircraft, €7.8 billion, September 2016
- Scorpene P75 programme: 6 submarines at Mazagon Dock Limited
- First India-France Strategic Space Dialogue: June 26, 2023, Paris
- TRISHNA: joint India-France Earth observation mission
- Bilateral trade: $15.81 billion (more than doubled over the last decade)
- VivaTech 2026: India as AI Country Partner, largest national pavilion