Prime Minister Narendra Modi projected India as a global centre for innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, urging international investors, research institutions and industry leaders to partner with the country as it seeks to shape the next generation of global technological breakthroughs.
Addressing the Bharat Innovates 2026 event alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi said the India-France partnership had evolved beyond traditional diplomatic ties into a relationship anchored in shared values, innovation and a common vision for addressing global challenges.
“Different countries in the world trade with each other, there are strategic partnerships between different countries, but there are some relationships that are driven not only by shared interests but also by a shared vision. The relationship between India and France is one such,” PM Modi said.
Describing the partnership as one built on “connection and conviction”, the Prime Minister said India and France had worked together on several global initiatives, ranging from the International Solar Alliance and artificial intelligence governance to security, sustainability and climate action.
The Prime Minister while formally launching the Bharat Innovates initiative with President Macron, describing it as a platform that would connect Indian talent with European capital, research institutions and technology ecosystems.
“This platform, Bharat Innovates, is building a bridge between Indian talent and European capital. A platform where young Indian minds are getting the opportunity to connect with European experts,” he said.
In remarks that could have significant implications for future India-France cooperation, PM Modi highlighted recent reforms in India’s nuclear energy sector, saying they would unlock fresh opportunities in clean energy, advanced reactor technologies and frontier scientific research.
“Recently, India has also made important reforms in the nuclear energy sector. This is going to create new possibilities in the fields of clean energy, advanced reactors, and frontier research,” he said.
The comments assume significance as India and France have been expanding cooperation in civil nuclear energy, including collaboration on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs). Officials view the sector as a key pillar of future clean-energy cooperation between the two countries.
The Prime Minister also emphasized India’s growing role in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, space technology and advanced materials, describing them as the technologies that would define the next chapter of human civilization.
“This decade is a decade of both disruption and development for the world,” PM Modi said. “Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Biotechnology, Space Technologies, and Advanced Materials are all technologies that will shape humanity’s future.”
He stressed that India’s technological vision was centred on inclusivity and public good rather than commercial gains alone.
“India’s priority is Technology for Humanity, human-centric innovation,” PM Modi said, adding that the country’s AI strategy was guided by the principle of “AI for All”.
Highlighting the scale of India’s innovation ecosystem, PM Modi noted that the country is now home to more than 200,000 startups and has emerged as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. He said India was witnessing a startup revolution in which young innovators were developing solutions in sectors ranging from artificial intelligence and satellite technology to green hydrogen, electric mobility, advanced manufacturing and defence technologies.
“Until a decade ago, the world saw India as a technology adopter. Today, India is emerging as a technology provider,” he said.
PM Modi said reforms in defence and space had opened new opportunities for private innovation, resulting in the emergence of hundreds of startups working in strategic sectors.
Calling for deeper collaboration with global partners, the Prime Minister said India was seeking partnerships based on co-development, joint research and shared manufacturing rather than traditional buyer-seller relationships.
“We want partnership. We want co-development. We want joint research. We want shared manufacturing. And we want long-term collaboration,” he said.
Inviting investors and innovators to participate in India’s growth story, PM Modi said: “Come to India. Work with us. Design in India. Develop in India. And create solutions for the world.”
Modi’s visit to France, his seventh official visit to the country since 2014, comes at a time when bilateral ties are witnessing unprecedented momentum. During President Macron’s visit to India in February this year, the two countries elevated their relationship to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership”, reflecting their expanding cooperation in defence, space, civil nuclear energy, technology, innovation, climate action and Indo-Pacific security.
France remains one of India’s closest strategic partners and was the first Western nation with which India established a strategic partnership in 1998. Bilateral trade has more than doubled over the past decade, while cooperation has expanded from flagship defence projects such as Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarines to emerging areas including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, clean energy, digital public infrastructure and startup innovation.
Officials say the Bharat Innovates initiative and Modi’s participation in the upcoming VivaTech Summit in Paris are expected to further deepen innovation-driven cooperation and open new avenues for investment, research and technology partnerships between India, France and the wider European ecosystem.
