Hyderabad: In a major milestone for India-France relations, French ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou inaugurated the "Bureau de France" in Hyderabad to enhance cooperation between France and Telangana.

'Bureau de France' is the branch office of the Consulate General of France in Bengaluru, was inaugurated at T-Hub, Raidurg.

The inauguration ceremony, which was held on Wednesday, was attended by the CEO of T-Hub Hyderabad, Consul General of France in Bangalore, Thierry Berthelot, and Telengana Minister for Information and Technology, D Sridhar Babu, an official release said.

Speaking on the occasion, the French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, said that he felt proud to inaugurate the Bureau de France in Hyderabad and shared that France is the first country to have an office in T-Hub.

"I am very proud to inaugurate today the Bureau de France in Hyderabad. The fact that France has decided to expand its network in India is a reflection of our confidence and ambition for the future of Indo-French ties. I want to thank all the Indian partners who have made this possible, particularly T-Hub and the Government of Telangana," he said.

"Very proud to inaugurate today the Bureau de France in #Hyderabad! This expansion of the network in India was announced by President Macron with the goal of scaling up cooperation with #Telangana across all areas and particularly key sectors such as tech and space," the ambassador posted on X.

"Hyderabad with T-Hub and Paris with Station F host the world's top two incubators. The fact that France is the first country to have an office in T-Hub is a sign of how much we can achieve together by bringing our innovation ecosystems closer together," he added.

Additionally, the CEO of T-Hub, Mahankali Srinivas Rao also asserted that the collaboration marks a significant moment in fostering innovation between France and Telangana.

"At T-Hub, we are excited to witness the inauguration of the Bureau de France in Hyderabad. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in fostering innovation and collaboration between France and Telangana. Together, we look forward to harnessing the synergies between our nations, unlocking new opportunities, and driving meaningful impact in the global innovation landscape," he said.

According to the release, the decision to establish a Bureau de France in Hyderabad, and a Consulate General of India in Marseille, was announced by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in Paris on 14th July 2023, and reiterated on 26th January 2024 during the State visit to India of President Macron on the occasion of India's Republic Day.

The Bureau de France in Hyderabad is a branch office of the Consulate General of France in Bangalore, whose jurisdiction covers Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

It is located in Hyderabad's T-Hub, the largest innovation campus in the world. T-Hub's proven framework has nurtured over 2,000 startups and spearheaded 100+ innovation programs, underscoring its commitment to entrepreneurial success and collaboration.

With the opening of this Bureau, France seeks to create more connections with Telangana's thriving innovation ecosystem, promote business ties in sectors such as space, tech and industry, and facilitate scientific and research exchanges.

The Bureau de France will also provide the growing community of French citizens living and working in Telangana with basic consular support on behalf of the Consulate General in Bangalore.

"A major investment destination, Telangana is already home to major French tech companies, such as Capgemini, well established in Hyderabad, and many others. As France looks to expand its economic partnership with Telangana in several areas, such as the aerospace industry - Safran, GMR/ADP, space - with the outstanding cooperation between ISRO and CNES, tech services, and smart cities, Telangana's effective policy to facilitate foreign investments, and hire excellent skills has made Hyderabad the perfect place for the Bureau de France," the release said.

The French diplomatic and consular network in India, one of France's largest in the world, comprises the Embassy of France in New Delhi, the four consulate generals (Mumbai, Puducherry-Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata) and two Bureaus de France (Chennai and Hyderabad).

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