External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar emphasized on Tuesday that India and France have the potential to influence the fast-changing global economy, including by motivating the rest of the European Union (EU). Speaking at the India-France CEO Forum, Jaishankar highlighted the necessity of diversified production, reliable and resilient supply chains, and deeper business collaborations in an ever-changing world.
“This applies as much to manufacturing as it applies to health,” he said, stressing the need for collaborative efforts to stabilize the global economy in volatile and uncertain times. He noted that the ‘Make in India’ initiative has opened up many new possibilities in this regard.
Jaishankar underscored that India and France, two nations with a tradition of independent mindsets, are actively working to strengthen each other’s position and make their collaboration an important element of contemporary world affairs.
“The more we strengthen our positions, the more we help stabilize the global economy,” he stated on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit. The summit, which serves as a reminder of the potential in AI, software development, and cybersecurity, will be celebrated as the ‘India-France Year of Innovation’ in 2026.
The External Affairs Minister urged weighing in on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, highlighting the well-established cooperation in defence, manufacturing, and aerospace. “Both the nature and the scale of this collaboration are today poised for a big jump, and the challenge before us is, can we make the most of it,” he added.
Jaishankar also touched upon India’s clean energy transition, rapidly changing infrastructure, and digital public infrastructure (DPI). Earlier in the day, he met with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris, where they discussed strengthening India-France bilateral ties with a focus on AI, innovation, connectivity, and clean energy.
The AI Action Summit brought together global leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who delivered an inspiring speech on AI, and top tech CEOs who deliberated on AI’s future, emphasizing innovation and ethical development.
