Nice, France/New Delhi,14 June (HS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the ‘Bharat Innovates’ initiative in Nice on Sunday alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, marking a significant step in strengthening innovation, technology and strategic cooperation between India and France.

Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Nice on Saturday as part of his official visits to France and Slovakia, is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with President Macron later on Sunday. The two leaders will review the entire spectrum of India-France relations, which were elevated earlier this year to the level of a Special Global Strategic Partnership.

According to official information released ahead of the visit, the ‘Bharat Innovates’ programme is designed to identify, mentor and showcase some of India’s most promising technology ventures emerging from higher educational institutions and centrally funded technical institutes. The initiative also aims to connect selected startups with a global network of investors, industry leaders, policymakers, research institutions and technology partners.

The programme, jointly inaugurated by Modi and Macron, will bring together leading startups, innovation firms and venture capital funds from India, France and several other countries. Organised during the India-France Year of Innovation, the event is expected to further deepen the robust innovation partnership between the two nations.

The visit is also expected to focus heavily on emerging technologies and future-oriented sectors. Discussions could lead to as many as 12 agreements covering areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, healthcare technology, medical technology, space technology and advanced innovation ecosystems.

Defence cooperation is also expected to feature prominently in the talks. India and France are likely to discuss a proposed agreement involving 114 Rafale fighter aircraft. New Delhi is reportedly seeking greater integration flexibility for indigenous weapon systems, with issues related to source-code access expected to be part of the discussions.

Highlighting India’s growing role in global innovation, President Macron was quoted by the Bharat Innovates initiative as saying, “The question is no longer whether India will innovate, but who will innovate with India.”

Following his engagements in Nice, Prime Minister Modi will begin the second leg of his tour with a state visit to Slovakia from June 14 to 16 at the invitation of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The visit will be historic, as it will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia gained independence in 1993.

During his stay in Slovakia, Modi is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Fico and meet President Peter Pellegrini. Discussions will focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, railway production and other key sectors.

The third phase of the Prime Minister’s itinerary will take him to Evian, France, where he will participate in the G7 Summit on June 16 and 17. In addition to summit sessions, he is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of G7 nations, partner countries and international organisations.

The final leg of the visit will take place in Paris on June 18, where Modi will continue bilateral engagements and participate in VivaTech, Europe’s largest technology and startup event. India is expected to have a significant presence at the summit, reflecting its expanding influence in global innovation and digital transformation. The Prime Minister is also likely to interact with members of the Indian diaspora in Paris.

Upon his arrival at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed by French Minister for Education Édouard Geffray, Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste, French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou, Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi, and other dignitaries.

Sharing his thoughts on social media after landing in France, Modi said that his itinerary would include engagements in Nice, Evian and Paris. He noted that the visit would feature both bilateral and multilateral meetings aimed at strengthening India’s friendships and cooperation with key development partners.

The inauguration of ‘Bharat Innovates’ is expected to be one of the flagship events of the visit, underscoring the growing importance of innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-driven collaboration in the evolving India-France partnership.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar