Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman begins official four-day visit to France to deepen strategic economic ties
New Delhi, July 1
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman embarked on an official 4-day visit to France on Wednesday to participate in a series of high-level bilateral engagements aimed at strengthening the India-France Strategic Partnership, enhancing economic cooperation and promoting investment, technology collaboration and innovation..
A key engagement during the visit will be the India-France Economic & Financial Dialogue (EFD), which will be co-chaired by Sitharaman and Roland Lescure, France Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty, at Aix-en-Provence. As part of the EFD, both countries will discuss potential areas for greater bilateral cooperation in various sectors, and further enhance the economic relations between India and France.
During the visit, the Union Finance Minister will hold one-to-one meetings with select global CEOs and also participate in a roundtable interaction with leading business executives to showcase India's robust macroeconomic fundamentals, ongoing structural reforms, expanding investment opportunities and long-term growth prospects, an official release said.
Sitharaman will participate in a panel discussion on the theme 'How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class' at the Les Rencontres Économiques d'Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe's leading annual forums for dialogue on global economic and public policy issues. Organised by Le Cercle des economistes, the forum brings together Heads of Government, Ministers, Central Bankers, business leaders, economists, academics and representatives of international organisations from across the world to deliberate on contemporary economic challenges.
The Union Finance Minister will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project at Cadarache. ITER is one of the world's largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion energy, involving more than 30 partner countries, including India and France.
She will also undertake a visit to Campus Cyber, France's national hub dedicated to cybersecurity innovation, research, skill development and collaboration among government, industry and academia. The visit is expected to facilitate exchange of experiences and best practices in strengthening cyber resilience and fostering innovation in the digital economy.
Sitharaman will also meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (PACA) Region, and discuss avenues for enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including investment, innovation, clean energy, technology and regional economic partnerships.
The Union Finance Minister will conclude her official visit with a community event with the members of the Indian diaspora.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While this sounds promising, I hope our government is also focusing on domestic issues like unemployment and inflation. These international visits are good for optics, but the common man needs to see tangible benefits. Still, any collaboration that brings clean energy tech and cyber security expertise is welcome.
As someone working in the tech sector, I'm particularly interested in the Campus Cyber visit. France has a strong cybersecurity ecosystem, and India can learn a lot about building a resilient digital economy. The panel discussion on the new middle class is also very relevant—India's rising middle class needs sustainable growth.
Good to see FM Sitharaman engaging with global CEOs and business leaders. India has strong fundamentals and the world knows it. The ITER visit is a bonus—nuclear fusion is the future! Just hope these dialogues move beyond talk and into real action. Also, the diaspora event is a nice touch—they're our soft power abroad. 😊
Impressive itinerary! The Economic & Financial Dialogue covers key areas like technology and innovation. But I wonder—how often do these visits lead to concrete outcomes? With the global economy facing headwinds, India needs to be strategic. France is a good partner, but we should also diversify our economic ties.
The panel discussion on 'How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class' is spot on! India's middle class is expanding rapidly, but we need policies that ensure inclusive growth. France's social model might offer some lessons. Also, the cyber security collaboration is crucial in today's digital age. Hope this visit yields results! 👍
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