India and France are set to enhance their bilateral partnership in high-end technologies, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following the India-France Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Paris. The consultations, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, laid the groundwork for future collaboration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Paris on February 10-11 for the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The MEA confirmed that both nations agreed to expand cooperation in various high-end technology sectors.
Discussions during the consultations covered a wide range of bilateral cooperation areas, including defense, civil nuclear energy, space, cybersecurity, digital technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). The two countries also reviewed progress on the India-France 'Horizon 2047 roadmap' and discussed institutional dialogue mechanisms aimed at enhancing people-to-people exchanges and cultural ties.
Climate change and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region were also prominent on the agenda, along with initiatives for joint development projects in third countries.
Additionally, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held meetings with Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, and Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President. A session of the India-France Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy was also convened.
In a related initiative, India and France announced their agreement to jointly assess threats to maritime security in the region, aiming to counter issues such as piracy, armed robbery, maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, and illegal fishing. This agreement was reached during the 7th India-France Maritime Cooperation Dialogue held in New Delhi on January 14.
The MEA confirmed that both countries would explore opportunities for coordinated surveillance to address these threats, enhancing information exchange through existing frameworks, including the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region in Gurugram, the Regional Coordination Operations Centre in Seychelles, and the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre in Madagascar.
France, a significant player in the Indian Ocean, maintains military bases in the region. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening maritime security and enhancing cooperation in the Indian Ocean, a critical component of the India-France strategic partnership. France also welcomed India's participation in the Combined Maritime Forces and expressed anticipation for India's leadership of the appropriate Combined Task Forces.