India-France discuss deepening trade, tech ties during meeting between Piyush Goyal, Nice Mayor
Nice, June 15
As India and France mark the Year of Innovation, leaders from both countries held discussions on further deepening collaboration across trade, technology and emerging sectors during a meeting between Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Nice's Mayor Eric Ciotti.
In a post on X, Goyal said, "Wrapped up a productive day in Nice by hosting a dinner in the presence of the Mayor of Nice, Mr. Eric Ciotti, alongside distinguished leaders from government, business, innovation and investment ecosystems."
He noted that the evening provided an "excellent opportunity" to exchange ideas and explore new avenues for collaboration across trade, technology, and emerging sectors.
He highlighted how, as India advances towards a Viksit Bharat, the partnership with France continues to unlock new opportunities for co-innovation and technological advancement, while fostering solutions that serve not only the two nations but the wider world.
He added that Nice is hosting Bharat Innovates 2026, at the Palais des Expositions in Nice, showcasing India's deep-tech prowess on the global stage, featuring 120 innovative startups and over 20 Institutes of Excellence across 13 critical technology domains. The event has drawn participation from more than 350 prominent investors and venture capitalists from around the world.
It underscores the Government of India's commitment to transforming the country into a global innovation hub under the Viksit Bharat vision while reaffirming the significance of India-France cooperation in advancing the global technology landscape.
Nice's Mayor Eric Ciotti called India a major partner the future and expressed his commitment for Nice to be a city open to the world-- with a focus on investment, innovation and international partnerships.
He also held a bilateral meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and exchanged views on cooperation between Nice and India.
In a post on X he said, "With Sophia Antipolis, our university, our innovation ecosystem, and our businesses, our territory has a full role to play in this forward-looking partnership."
Earlier, the Mayor of Nice met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held discussions on the prospects for economic cooperation between Nice and India.
He also presented to PM Modi the medal of the City of Nice, underlining the further desire to deepen ties across areas such as economy, academia, technology and culture.
India and France on Sunday unveiled 13 key outcomes spanning innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), trade, education, space and strategic cooperation during the first leg of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France, underscoring the growing depth of the bilateral partnership.
On the economic front, India and France decided to establish a high-level mechanism to achieve the goal of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years, building upon the existing Economic and Financial Dialogue. The two sides also instituted an Economic Security Dialogue.A Declaration of Intent on Cooperation on Railway and High-speed Railway Development in India was also announced, signalling enhanced collaboration in transportation infrastructure.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The focus on high-speed railways and AI collaboration is promising. India has a massive infrastructure need, and French expertise in rail technology could be game-changing. However, I hope these partnerships translate into concrete projects on the ground and not just MoUs. The devil is in the execution.
Finally, some concrete steps towards Viksit Bharat! The high-level mechanism to double trade over five years sounds ambitious but achievable with France. I also appreciate that they included space and AI cooperation—these are the sectors where India can truly lead. Just hope the benefits reach small businesses too, not just big corporates.
Nice to see Nice courting India! 😄 The event with 350 investors is impressive. But I'm waiting for more details on how this helps Indian startups actually scale globally. Our deep-tech startups have incredible potential but often need more hand-holding to break into European markets. Hope this partnership provides that.
As someone who works in tech, I'm particularly excited about the AI and deep-tech collaboration. France has strong AI research, and India has scale and talent. The Economic Security Dialogue is also smart—we need to protect our interests while opening up. But I hope India doesn't just become a market for French goods; we need reciprocal benefits.
Love the synergy! India-France relationship has always been special, but this feels more action-oriented. Railway modernization, AI, space—all areas where we can learn and collaborate. The Year of Innovation is a brilliant branding idea too. Just wish the article mentioned how this impacts common citizens beyond macro numbers. Still, positive vibes all around! 🙌
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.