Apulia, Italy: On the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the French Republic H.E. Emmanuel Macron held a significant bilateral meeting. The discussions marked the first high-level engagement between the two leaders since PM Modi assumed office for the third consecutive term.
The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of India-France bilateral relations, with a particular emphasis on the ‘Horizon 2047’ Roadmap and the Indo-Pacific Roadmap. Both leaders expressed their commitment to furthering cooperation across various sectors, including defence, nuclear, space, education, climate action, digital public infrastructure, connectivity, and cultural initiatives. The partnership between the National Museums of both countries and efforts to enhance people-to-people ties were highlighted as key cultural initiatives.
In the realm of defence, PM Modi and President Macron agreed to intensify strategic cooperation, with a renewed focus on the ‘Make in India’ initiative, underscoring the importance of self-reliance and indigenous development in defence manufacturing.
The leaders also discussed expanding collaboration in artificial intelligence, critical and emerging technologies, energy, and sports. They emphasized the importance of working closely in the context of the forthcoming AI Summit and the United Nations Oceans Conference, both scheduled to be hosted in France in 2025.