Why in the news
President Emmanuel Macron came to India for the India AI Impact Summit and to open the 2026 Year of Innovation. The two countries raised their relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership, a long-run roadmap up to 2047.
Three pillars
- Strategic autonomy: independent decision-making for both nations.
- Global governance: joint work on climate change, economic imbalances and geopolitical stability.
- Security and innovation: co-developing AI, space and nuclear technologies and building trusted supply chains.
How ties evolved
| Year | Milestone |
|---|
| 1998 | France became the first Western country to sign a Strategic Partnership and did not impose sanctions after nuclear tests |
| 2008 | First civil nuclear agreement with India after the NSG waiver |
| 2023 | Horizon 2047 Roadmap, a 25-year plan |
Key agreements
| Area | Outcome |
|---|
| Innovation | Year of Innovation 2026; AIIMS–Paris Brain Institute health research |
| Defence | Safran–HAL fighter jet engine co-production; Rafale Marine jets procurement |
| Nuclear energy | Small Modular Reactors and Advanced Modular Reactors |
| Indo-Pacific | Triangular development projects in third countries |
| Space | ISRO–CNES: human spaceflight, launch systems, space situational awareness |
| Mobility | Pilot visa-free airport transit for Indians in France |
Exam angle
- Horizon 2047 Roadmap: adopted in 2023.
- Space agencies: ISRO and CNES.