Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman begins France visit to strengthen India-France economic ties, investment cooperation, and technology collaboration initiatives.
New Delhi
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has begun an official visit to France aimed at strengthening India–France economic relations, expanding investment opportunities, and enhancing cooperation in technology, innovation, and clean energy sectors.
During the visit, Sitharaman will co-chair the India–France Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in Aix-en-Provence along with France’s Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty Roland Lescure. The dialogue is expected to explore new areas of bilateral cooperation and deepen existing financial and economic partnerships between the two countries.
The Finance Minister will also engage with global chief executive officers and participate in a roundtable discussion with leading business leaders. These interactions are intended to highlight India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, ongoing structural reforms, and expanding investment landscape.
She is scheduled to speak at a panel discussion titled “How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class” at Les Rencontres Économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe’s prominent forums for global economic dialogue. The event brings together policymakers, economists, central bankers, and industry leaders to discuss key global economic challenges and opportunities.
As part of her official itinerary, Sitharaman will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project at Cadarache. ITER is one of the world’s largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion energy, involving more than 30 partner countries, including India and France.
She will also visit Campus Cyber, France’s national hub for cybersecurity innovation and research. The visit is expected to promote knowledge sharing in cyber resilience, digital security, and innovation in the technology ecosystem.
In addition, the Finance Minister will meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, to discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation in investment, clean energy, technology, and economic development.
The visit underscores India’s ongoing efforts to deepen strategic and economic ties with France and strengthen global partnerships across emerging sectors of growth.
