New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra announced Friday that 2026 will be celebrated as the ‘India-France year of innovation’. The announcement came on the heels of French President Emmaneul Macron’s two-day state visit to India during which he attended the Republic Day Parade as chief guest.
During the press conference, Kwatra highlighted the growing importance of the partnership between India and France in the fields of defence, Indo-Pacific security, and green energy.
He said, “The salience of India-France partnership has only grown in this complex geopolitical environment and in pursuit of our national interest and priorities”. It’s been agreed that the year 2026 will be celebrated as India-France year of innovation.”|
Kwatra also informed about the key outcomes of President Macron’s visit and the significant progress made in the areas of defence, nuclear energy, security, space, and clean energy. He said, “The partnership over the years has shown all round progress, across all the domain, including defence, nuclear energy, security, space increasing green areas such as clean energy, commerce”.
The Foreign Secretary also highlighted the historic agreement between the two countries in the field of space technology. He said, “An industrial partnership between Tata and Airbus helicopters and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between New Space India Limited (NSIL) and Arianespace with regard to satellite launches.
“First is the roadmap on the India-France defence industrial roadmap. Agreement on Defence Space partnership, MoU between New Space India Limited (NSIL) and Arianespace with regard to satellite launches. An industrial partnership between Tata and Airbus helicopters for the production of H125 helicopters with a significant indigenous and localization component”, he said.
“Agreement between Department of Science and Technology and French counterpart institutions. Joint research in clean energy, decarbonised hydrogen, applied mathematics, digital technology, and precision agriculture,” he added.
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