Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has embarked on a four-day official visit to France to strengthen the India-France Strategic Partnership through high-level bilateral engagements. The visit, which began on July 1, 2026, focuses on enhancing economic cooperation, promoting investment, technology collaboration, and innovation between the two countries.
The key engagement during the visit is the India-France Economic & Financial Dialogue (EFD), co-chaired by Sitharaman and French Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty Roland Lescure at Aix-en-Provence. The dialogue will discuss potential areas for greater bilateral cooperation across various sectors to further enhance economic relations.
Minister Sitharaman will hold one-to-one meetings with select global CEOs and participate in a roundtable interaction with leading business executives to showcase India's robust macroeconomic fundamentals, ongoing structural reforms, expanding investment opportunities, and long-term growth prospects.
She will participate in a panel discussion on "How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class" at the Les Rencontres Économiques d'Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe's leading annual forums for dialogue on global economic and public policy issues organized by Le Cercle des économistes.
The itinerary includes a visit to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project at Cadarache, 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 dedicated to cybersecurity innovation, research, skill development, and collaboration among government, industry, and academia.
The Minister will meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) Region, to discuss avenues for enhancing cooperation in investment, innovation, clean energy, technology, and regional economic partnerships. The visit will conclude with a community event with members of the Indian diaspora in France.