Piyush Goyal meets Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister; Highlights India's strides in AI at Viva Tech 2026
Paris, June 18
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel to discuss expanding bilateral collaboration across fintech, space technology, digital innovation, financial services, and emerging technologies. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Viva Technology 2026 event in Paris on Wednesday, where both leaders focused on aligning their economic and technological goals.
"A warm and productive interaction with Mr. @Xavier_Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade & Cooperation of Luxembourg, at @VivaTech 2026," Goyal said on X. "India and Luxembourg continue to strengthen a partnership driven by innovation, technology, and shared economic aspirations."
The discussions come at a time when economic ties between India and Europe are evolving. Minister Goyal noted that the broader framework of trade agreements will help anchor these new technological initiatives between the two nations.
"With the India-EU FTA now concluded and cooperation deepening across strategic sectors, Luxembourg remains an important partner in strengthening India's economic and technological engagement with Europe, while unlocking new avenues for innovation, investment, and shared prosperity," Goyal added.
Beyond bilateral talks, India's broader strategy on emerging technologies was shared during a panel session titled 'The New Growth Playbook'. Minister Goyal participated in the session alongside the UAE's Minister of Economy & Tourism, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, and France's former Minister of the Economy, Finance, Industrial & Digital Sovereignty, Bruno Le Maire.
The panel focused significantly on the economic impacts of artificial intelligence and how nations govern its deployment. Goyal outlined the specific parameters that guide India's domestic AI policy during the global tech summit.
"Exchanged views on how AI presents immense opportunities to drive economic growth," Goyal said in a separate post on X. "Emphasised that India's approach to AI seeks to balance technological advancement with trust, transparency, inclusiveness & responsibility."
The discussions concluded with a review of India's current digital infrastructure. Goyal stated that the combination of public digital systems and a growing workforce positions the country as a major hub for international technology firms looking for expansion.
"Highlighted the rapid strides India is making in the AI, supported by a vibrant startup ecosystem, world-class Digital Public Infrastructure & a vast talent pool, making the nation an attractive global destination for innovation, entrepreneurship & technology-driven growth," Goyal said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Glad to see Europe taking India seriously. Our DPI and talent pool are unmatched. But I hope these partnerships translate into real jobs back home, not just tech summits.
Interesting to see India-Luxembourg ties deepening. The fintech angle is particularly promising with Luxembourg being a major financial hub. Good move by Goyal.
AI with transparency and inclusiveness - that's the Indian way. Our UPI and Aadhaar models are proof we can build tech for the masses. Hope this partnership brings more European investment into our startup ecosystem! 🚀
While I appreciate the global outreach, I wish our ministers would also focus on domestic issues like AI skilling in Tier 2/3 cities. Not everyone benefits from these high-level talks yet.
India positioning itself as an AI hub is smart. With the EU FTA concluded, this could unlock serious collaboration. I'm watching the space tech angle closely - Luxembourg is big on that.
Finally, we're not just outsourcing but co-creating with Europe! The AI governance framework Goyal mentioned sounds balanced. Let's hope it doesn't become another bureaucratic hurdle for startups though.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.