Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday embarked on a four-day official visit to France to strengthen the India-France Strategic Partnership through a series of high-level engagements focused on economic cooperation, investment, technology and innovation.
During the visit, Sitharaman will participate in bilateral meetings, interact with global business leaders and co-chair the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) with France’s Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty, Roland Lescure, in Aix-en-Provence, underscoring India’s commitment to expanding its strategic economic ties with France.
The dialogue will focus on identifying new avenues for bilateral cooperation across key sectors and further strengthening economic relations between the two countries.
The Finance Minister will also hold one-on-one meetings with select global chief executives and participate in a roundtable with leading business executives. The discussions will showcase India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, ongoing structural reforms, expanding investment opportunities and long-term growth potential while encouraging greater foreign investment.
As part of her engagements, Sitharaman will participate in a panel discussion titled “How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class” at Les Rencontres Économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe’s premier annual forums on global economic and public policy issues. Organised by Le Cercle des économistes, the forum brings together heads of government, ministers, central bankers, business leaders, economists, academics and representatives of international organisations to deliberate on pressing global economic challenges.
The Finance Minister is also scheduled to visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project at Cadarache, one of the world’s largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion energy involving more than 30 partner countries, including India and France. The visit is expected to reinforce scientific and technological cooperation between the two nations.
In addition, Sitharaman will visit Campus Cyber, France’s national centre for cybersecurity innovation, research and skill development, where she will explore opportunities for collaboration in strengthening cyber resilience, digital innovation and technology partnerships.
The Union Minister will also meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) Region, to discuss expanding cooperation in investment, innovation, clean energy, technology and regional economic partnerships.
The visit will conclude with an interaction with members of the Indian diaspora in France, reflecting the government’s continued engagement with the overseas Indian community while reinforcing people-to-people ties between the two countries.
