Indo‑French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) 49th Annual General Meeting – Mumbai, 30 September 2026
The Indo‑French Chamber of Commerce and Industry convened its 49th AGM at the St. Regis Hotel in Mumbai under the theme “Driving Innovation for Global Impact”. More than 400 senior business leaders, government officials and diplomats attended, representing the expanding India‑France business community.
Keynote Addresses
French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste, announced two concrete outcomes of the Indo‑French strategic partnership: the inauguration of the Indo‑French Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Health at AIIMS, New Delhi, and a new dual‑degree and joint‑research programme between Paris‑Saclay University and IIT Bombay. He reiterated that the relationship had been elevated to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” during President Macron’s February 2026 visit, with a shared ambition to lead sovereign innovation in climate change, health and digital security.
French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, highlighted the breadth of cooperation across advanced manufacturing, energy, technology and services, noting that French and Indian firms are co‑designing products, technologies and solutions. He underscored that the forthcoming signing of the EU‑India Free Trade Agreement will create unprecedented opportunities for deeper trade and investment.
IFCCI Governance and Financial Update
Sanjay Singh, Treasurer of IFCCI and CEO & Head of Territory, BNP Paribas India, presented the Chamber’s financial performance for the fiscal year, after which the newly elected Governing Council was announced. Jean Touboul, President of IFCCI and CEO of Pernod Ricard India, outlined the Chamber’s priorities, stressing the imminent EU‑India FTA as a lever for expanding bilateral trade and investment, and noting that the organization is approaching its 50th anniversary with strong momentum.
Panel Discussions
Two thematic panels anchored the business agenda:
1. “Global Shifts, Global Opportunities: The Power of Innovation” – moderated by Manoj Gidwani, Senior Vice President, Nexdigm. Panelists included Dilkhush Cooper (BNP Paribas India), Deepak NG (Dassault Systèmes India), Anish Damania (JM Financial Ltd), Venu Shanbhag (Grindwell Norton Ltd, Saint‑Gobain) and Dr Sangkaran Ratnam (TotalEnergies Gas and Power Projects India). They discussed how finance, technology, industrials and energy firms are positioning themselves amid shifting global conditions.
2. “GCCs as Innovation Engines: Drivers for Global Impact” – moderated by Hardeep Sachdeva, Senior Partner, AZB & Partners. Participants Vivek Jaykrishnan (ALTEN India), Prashanthi Thorat (AXA Global Business Services), Sanjay Chalke (Capgemini India), Stéphane Deblaise (Renault Group India) and Deepak Arora (Sanofi India) examined how Global Capability Centres have evolved from delivery hubs to centres of product development, research and innovation, emphasizing their strategic weight for French firms operating in India.
Membership and Institutional Reach
IFCCI represents more than 800 member companies and over 6,500 individual members. Established in 1977, it is part of the CCI France International network of 121 French chambers in 98 countries, covering over 36,000 companies. The Chamber maintains six offices across India (Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune) and an office in Paris.
Outlook
The Chamber committed to advancing the themes of innovation and global collaboration through its sectoral committees and member programmes throughout the coming year, while closely monitoring the EU‑India FTA implementation and preparing for its 50th anniversary.