India and France hold Foreign Office Consultations in Paris on nuclear, defence, AI and space cooperation
Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri has co‑chaired the India–France Foreign Office Consultations in Paris with the Secretary General of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Martin Briens, on 13 April 2026. The high‑level talks, part of India’s broader Europe‑focused diplomatic push, covered the full spectrum of bilateral ties, including civil nuclear energy, defence, space, cyber and digital cooperation, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation, and people‑to‑people and cultural exchanges. Both sides also reviewed global and regional developments, with a focus on security, technology, and energy‑supply stability in the context of the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Open‑source briefs from the Ministry of External Affairs and India’s mission in Paris show that the consultations reaffirmed India and France’s “special global strategic partnership,” deepening collaboration in large‑scale nuclear projects, defence platforms, and space‑safety and satellite‑navigation initiatives. Discussions on cyber and digital policy highlighted plans to strengthen secure data‑sharing, critical‑infrastructure protection, and digital‑governance alignments, while AI and innovation talks pointed to joint research‑centres, startup‑linkages, and standards‑coordination.
People‑to‑people and cultural‑ties were highlighted through education, academic‑mobility programmes, and festivals linked to the ongoing “India–France Year of Innovation.” French officials underlined the role of Indian students and researchers in France, while Indian envoys stressed growing tourism and cultural‑industry collaborations. The two sides also agreed to continue high‑level political and security dialogue in the run‑up to the upcoming International Space Summit and other multilateral engagements, reinforcing the institutional‑level underpinning of the relationship.
Key highlights
India, France hold Foreign Office Consultations
Talks cover civil nuclear energy, defence, space
Cyber, digital, AI and innovation discussed in depth
People‑to‑people and cultural ties reaffirmed
Global, regional issues, West Asia crisis reviewed
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