How is India’s AI Ecosystem Transforming Innovation with French Partners?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India's AI ecosystem is built on digital public infrastructure.
- Collaboration between India and France focuses on responsible AI development.
- The roundtable discussions are part of an ongoing dialogue series.
- Insights from the discussions will shape the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026.
- Strong academic institutions and startups are pivotal for innovation.
New Delhi, Nov 8 (NationPress) India’s AI ecosystem, rooted in digital public infrastructure (DPI), a dynamic startup network, and robust academic institutions, provides a scalable platform for collaborative innovation with French partners, experts assert.
As part of the pre-summit event for the upcoming 'AI Impact Summit 2026' hosted by India, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) to the government, in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Consulate General of France in Bengaluru, organized the third India-France AI Policy Roundtable in Bengaluru.
The French delegation emphasized its dedication to responsible, human-centric AI development and the significance of industrial cooperation in enhancing access to AI resources and computational capacity.
According to the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor, this roundtable continued the ongoing ‘Track 1.5’ dialogue series on AI policy collaboration between India and France, following previous editions held in Bengaluru and Paris earlier this year.
The discussions aimed to bolster collaboration across the key pillars of AI infrastructure, industrial partnerships, research cooperation, and responsible AI governance, in line with a shared vision of equitable access to AI resources and inclusive innovation.
The session was co-chaired by Anne Bouverot, Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for Artificial Intelligence, and Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, who underscored the necessity of enhancing bilateral collaboration in emerging technologies.
Following the main discussion, representatives from government, industry, startups, and academia from both nations offered diverse perspectives on fortifying bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence.
The insights gathered from the roundtable will be vital for the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026 and the ‘India–France Year of Innovation 2026’, as stated by an official announcement.
The session was co-moderated by Professor Chiranjib Bhattacharyya from the Department of Computer Science and Automation, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), representing India, and Professor Francis Rousseaux from ETI Expertise France and the iSPIRT Foundation, representing France.