India and France have recently agreed to enhance their bilateral partnership in high-end technology sectors, as confirmed during the India-France Foreign Office Consultations held on January 20, 2025, in Paris. This meeting was co-chaired by India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The discussions focused on expanding collaboration in various high-end technology sectors, including defense, civil nuclear energy, space, cybersecurity, digital technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). This is part of the broader India-France Horizon 2047 roadmap aimed at strengthening ties over the next two decades.

In addition to technological cooperation, both countries agreed to jointly assess maritime security threats. This initiative aims to combat issues such as piracy and illegal fishing in the Indian Ocean region.

The consultations also included initiatives to foster cultural ties and enhance people-to-people exchanges, which are vital for deepening mutual understanding between the nations.

The agreement comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris for the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit scheduled for February 10-11, 2025. This summit will further solidify the commitment to advancing cooperation in AI and other digital technologies.

This strategic partnership reflects both countries' recognition of the importance of technology in addressing contemporary global challenges and their commitment to collaborative efforts in innovation and security.

ANI