India and France adopted a roadmap for cooperation in AI and concluded 9 other agreements, including 3 to boost civil nuclear cooperation, as PM Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron held bilateral talks, reaffirming their strong commitment to the strategic partnership between the 2 countries.
Among the major takeaways was an agreement for jointly developing and producing advanced and small modular reactors that could hold the key to powering the energy-intensive AI industry in both countries. The leaders discussed regional and global issues like the West Asia situation and Russia-Ukraine war and enhanced their Indo-Pacific partnership with an agreement for triangular cooperation to promote sustainable development in third countries in the region.
While no agreement was signed in defence, Modi and Macron welcomed cooperation in building air and maritime assets in line with the 2024 defence industrial roadmap. In a special gesture, the leaders travelled together in the French presidential aircraft to Marseille where they held delegation-level talks, visited a war cemetery and inaugurated the new Indian consulate. Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi and later also went to the airport in Marseille to see off the Indian PM.
Four of the agreements signed were in areas related to technology and innovation. While the leaders didn’t address the media, they acknowledged in a joint statement India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation with the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project. They welcomed the partnership for co-designing, co-developing and co-producing advanced modular reactors (AMR) and small modular reactors (SMR). India has been in touch with the US, Russia and France for the past couple of years for jointly developing the technology and the issue is likely to figure in Modi’s engagements in the US too on Thursday. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said cooperation in SMR and AMR is important also for AI, recalling International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol’s remark that AI essentially means electricity. “And the amount of electricity that will be needed, if it is going to be sustainable, then it has to be something like nuclear power-driven electricity. And that is the area in which SMRs and AMRs can play a key role. It can also help us tackle complications in conventional projects,’’ said Misri.
The leaders also agreed to work closely on implementing the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC) initiative, stressing its importance for connectivity, sustainable growth and access to clean energy. In this regard, they acknowledged the strategic location of Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea, said the joint statement.
The leaders also underlined their common commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region, where France is a resident power. On trilateral cooperation in the region, Misri said the choice of projects will be driven by host countries. “These are demand-driven initiatives and not supply-driven initiatives. And we feel that it is important for us to provide choices to countries, amongst our partners, with regard to development cooperation pathways. And I think India and France have a certain alignment in their thinking about this kind of cooperation,’’ he said.
There was focus also on skill development and vocational education as the leaders welcomed the operationalization of the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS), under India-France Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA), which is expected to facilitate two way mobility of youth and professionals,
France reiterated its firm support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council as Modi and Macron emphasised the urgent need for the reform of the Council. “The two leaders agreed to strengthen conversations on regulation of use of the veto in case of mass atrocities. They held extensive discussions on long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to intensify their global and regional engagement, including through multilateral initiatives and institutions,’’ said the joint statement.
France joined India in unequivocally condemning all forms of terrorism including, importantly for India, cross-border terrorism and called for the disruption of terrorism financing networks and safe havens. “They further agreed that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts. The leaders also called for concerted action against all terrorists, including through designations of individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee,’’ said the joint statement.