Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 14 June held wide-ranging talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice, agreeing to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership. The meeting, which included a working lunch hosted by Macron, covered defence, technology, space, artificial intelligence, education, and cultural cooperation.

What the Leaders Agreed

'Today's talks with my friend, President Macron, were exceptionally productive. Considering the longstanding friendship between our nations, we have decided to elevate our ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership,' Modi wrote on X. He added that discussions covered 'ways to deepen cooperation in key sectors like defence, technology, space, security, counter terrorism, innovation and more.'

A key institutional outcome was the agreement to establish a Joint India-France AI Working Group to advance collaboration on Artificial Intelligence. The two sides also welcomed the creation of a Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics on the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.

People-to-People and Education Ties

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders emphasised strengthening people-to-people links. Modi thanked Macron for the swift operationalisation of visa-free transit for Indian nationals at French airports. The leaders discussed enhancing student and talent mobility between the two countries and expanding mutual recognition of educational qualifications.

Modi also invited French universities to open campuses in India under the New Education Policy (NEP), a signal of India's intent to internationalise its higher education landscape.

Culture, SMEs, and Global Issues

The leaders agreed to deepen cooperation among museums and cultural institutions, including the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal, Gujarat. Cooperation in the SME, aviation, and railway sectors was also on the agenda.

Over lunch, Modi and Macron exchanged views on global flashpoints, including the situations in West Asia and Ukraine. The MEA noted that Modi looked forward to participating in the upcoming G7 Summit in Evian and thanked Macron for engaging India in substantive pre-summit discussions.

On the sidelines, both leaders viewed works by French artists Thibault De La Lance and Theophile de Bascher, created during a 10-day art residency in Jaipur. The MEA noted that 'the artists drew inspiration from Indian heritage and aesthetics, resulting in works reflecting the cultural confluence of India and France.'

What Comes Next

The elevation to a Special Global Strategic Partnership sets a new institutional baseline for India-France engagement. The Joint AI Working Group and the IIT Kanpur aeronautics centre are among the first concrete deliverables expected to take shape in the near term. With the G7 Summit in Evian on the horizon, the Modi-Macron alignment on multilateral issues is likely to carry forward into that forum.