India-France Elevate Ties to Special Global Strategic Partnership

Introduction

• India and France have upgraded their bilateral relationship to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership.” This is a significant milestone that reflects the growing depth, trust, and long-term ambition in relations between the two countries. It signals that both nations want to expand cooperation across many major global and strategic areas.
• The announcement was made during the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India from February 17 to 19, 2026, which marked his fourth official visit to India. The visit highlighted the importance both sides attach to strengthening their partnership.
• During the visit, the leadership of both countries actively engaged in multiple high-level initiatives:
  • They held comprehensive bilateral talks to review cooperation and plan future collaboration.
  • They jointly inaugurated the 2026 India–France Year of Innovation in Mumbai, aimed at boosting collaboration in science, technology, and new ideas.
  • They also participated in the AI Impact Summit 2026, underlining shared interest in shaping the future of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
• The India–France Special Global Strategic Partnership is wide-ranging and covers cooperation across several key sectors, including:
  • Defence and strategic security
  • Civil nuclear energy
  • Space cooperation
  • Climate and environmental action
  • Trade and economic ties
  • Advanced technology and innovation
  • People-to-people exchanges and cultural links
• Overall, this upgraded partnership is one of the most comprehensive and wide-reaching bilateral frameworks India maintains with any country, reflecting strong mutual trust and a shared vision for global cooperation.

From Strategic Partnership to Special Global Strategic Partnership

• India and France established diplomatic relations in 1947, soon after India gained independence. Over time, their relationship has steadily grown stronger and more strategic.
• A major turning point came on January 26, 1998, when both countries launched a Strategic Partnership.
  • This was India’s first strategic partnership with a Western country.
  • It was also France’s first strategic partnership outside the European Union.
    This marked the beginning of deep cooperation in areas like defence, security, and global affairs.
• In 2023, India and France celebrated the 25th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership. During this milestone year, they adopted the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, which is a long-term plan to guide their cooperation into the future.
  • The roadmap aligns with three major milestones:
    • 100 years of India’s independence (2047)
    • 100 years of diplomatic relations between India and France
    • 50 years of the Strategic Partnership
• The recent upgrade to a Special Global Strategic Partnership shows how much the relationship has evolved. It is no longer focused only on defence deals or formal diplomatic engagement. Instead, both countries now view their partnership as a “force for global good,” working together to promote security, economic growth, and a rules-based international order.
• To ensure continuous progress, India and France have created an Annual Foreign Ministers Comprehensive Dialogue. This regular mechanism reviews cooperation and discusses key areas such as:
  • Economic security
  • Major global issues
  • People-to-people exchanges and connections.

Defence: Renewed for Another Decade

Defence remains a pillar of the India France Special Global Strategic Partnership, but it is increasingly defined by co-production rather than procurement. The 6th India France Annual Defence Dialogue was held in Bengaluru on February 17, 2026, co-chaired by Defence Minister of India and French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin. The bilateral defence cooperation agreement was renewed for another 10 years, signed by India’s Defence Secretary and France’s Deputy Director General for International Relations and Strategy.

Key outcomes included an MoU between BEL and Safran for the joint manufacture of HAMMER air-to-surface missiles in India under the Make in India initiative, the reciprocal deployment of officers at Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments, and the joint inauguration of the H125 Final Assembly Line, India’s first private sector helicopter manufacturing facility, combining the strengths of TATA Advanced Systems and Airbus.

India has also pushed for increasing indigenous content in the Rafale fighter jet by up to 50%, and both sides noted progress in the Safran-HAL partnership for the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH). The P-75 Scorpène submarine programme delivered its sixth vessel to the Indian Navy in January 2025, and both leaders welcomed the continuation of submarine cooperation. Both countries also agreed to constitute a Joint Advanced Technology Development Group to co-develop critical and emerging technologies in niche areas.

Nuclear Energy: Strategic Pillar for India’s Energy Future

Civil nuclear cooperation is one of the most substantive areas of the India France Special Global Strategic Partnership. The President of France acknowledged India’s target of achieving 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047 and welcomed India’s recent reforms allowing private investment in its nuclear sector.

Both leaders agreed to deepen cooperation across the nuclear value chain, from research and skills development to industrial applications. The Special Task Force on civil nuclear energy continues to meet regularly, including on the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project in Maharashtra. The relationship between DAE and CEA was reaffirmed, with a call for renewed cooperation in nuclear science and technology. A Declaration of Intent on Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMR/AMR) signed in 2025 is also being taken forward through research collaboration between the two agencies.

Climate and the Planet: Shared Responsibility

Both countries have long-standing cooperation on climate and sustainable development, and the India France Special Global Strategic Partnership deepens this further. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement and to holding global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

India and France co-preside over the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA), both headquartered in New Delhi. Discussions are underway to establish a European office of the ISA in Paris. Both nations also welcomed the entry into force of the BBNJ Treaty on marine biodiversity and called for its ratification by the largest number of states.

The MoU between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and France’s Ministry of Economies, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty on renewable energy cooperation was renewed. Both leaders also noted the progress of the AFD Group in financing urban mobility, energy transition, green finance, and biodiversity projects in India.

Trade, Economy, and Innovation

The two leaders welcomed the deepening of business ties and expressed commitment to unlocking the economic potential of the bilateral relationship. The India France CEO Forum was held during President Macron’s visit, and both sides agreed to hold an Economic and Financial Dialogue in 2026. Key sectors of growing collaboration include aerospace, energy, logistics, agri-food, and telecoms.

The amendment to the bilateral tax treaty was signed to provide stability for businesses and encourage greater investment. Both leaders also welcomed the progress of UPI in France, the first European country to offer this payment system, with flagship stores in Paris now accepting it.

Both leaders launched the India France Innovation Network to connect innovators, startups, and businesses from both countries. Following the success of ten Indian startups at Station F in Paris, further discussions on startup incubation are underway, including an LoI between T-Hub and Nord France Invest.

AI and Technology: Shared Governance

The AI Impact Summit 2026, hosted by India, built on the AI Action Summit co-chaired by President Macron and PM Modi in Paris in February 2025. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a secure and trustworthy AI serving people, public interest, and the planet, and affirmed the importance of democratising AI resources and bridging the global AI divide.

Both countries are deepening cooperation in space, with the partnership between CNES and ISRO serving as the backbone. India confirmed participation in France’s International Space Summit in July 2026. A binational centre on digital sciences and technology is being opened in India between INRIA and the Department of Science and Technology, and both sides called for an early joint call for projects by ANR and DST in AI and applied mathematics.

Conclusion

The elevation of India–France relations to a Special Global Strategic Partnership goes beyond a simple diplomatic upgrade and reflects a deeper alignment in their long-term global outlook. It highlights their shared vision of a multipolar world order, where influence and responsibility are distributed among several major powers rather than concentrated in a few. The partnership also shows their strong commitment to jointly developing solutions in crucial areas such as defence, energy, advanced technology, and climate action, recognising that cooperation in these sectors is essential not only for their national interests but also for addressing global challenges. At the same time, it reflects the steady expansion of economic cooperation and stronger people-to-people connections, making the relationship broader and more comprehensive than ever before. Guided by the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, India and France are shaping a long-term partnership that aligns with key milestones in their shared history while looking firmly toward the future. Together, they are positioning themselves not just as partners for mutual benefit, but as a force working toward global stability, progress, and a more cooperative international order.