India, France Deepen Strategic Ties with Push on Clean Energy, Power and Artificial Intelligence

India and France elevated their bilateral ties to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership', placing strong emphasis on cooperation in clean energy, nuclear power and artificial intelligence.

The decision was announced after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron during the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit 2026 in Mumbai, which President Macron attended as part of his official visit to India.

The two leaders also jointly launched the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, aimed at strength'ning collaboration in energy transition, digital technologies, climate action and advanced research.

France expressed support for India’s target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and agreed to deepen cooperation in civil nuclear energy, including large reactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Discussions will continue on the Jaitapur nuclear power project and joint research in nuclear science, safety and skills development.

Both sides also agreed to expand cooperation in renewable energy through the International Solar Alliance and to work jointly on clean energy supply chains, critical minerals and decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors. The leaders said collaboration in power systems, grid resilience and green hydrogen would be strengthened under the partnership.

Reaffirming their commitment to secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence, India and France agreed to enhance cooperation in AI governance, research and innovation ecosystems. A new India–France Innovation Network will connect startups, academic institutions and industries working in AI, energy systems and climate technologies.

The leaders also announced plans for a binational centre for digital sciences and technology and expanded collaboration in cybersecurity and advanced materials relevant to energy storage and next-generation power technologies.

Both countries reiterated support for the Paris Agreement and committed to raising ambition on climate action. They agreed to cooperate more closely on clean energy financing, sustainable infrastructure and disaster-resilient power systems, including through multilateral platforms.

With the elevation of ties to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership', India and France said that their cooperation in energy, power and artificial intelligence would form a key pillar of their long-term strategic relationship, aimed at supporting economic growth while accelerating the transition to low-carbon and digital economies.