On July 1, 2026, the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) Luxury Committee and Comite Colbert signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Paris, establishing a long-term framework for collaboration across luxury, craftsmanship, culture, design, and creative industries. The signing took place during India's New Script on Luxury, Craft and Culture, a half-day programme at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Paris.
Details of the Partnership
Under the MoU, the IFCCI Luxury Committee and Comite Colbert will develop sustained engagement through roundtables, symposiums, industry delegations, knowledge papers, policy dialogues, and cultural exchange programmes. The partnership aims to encourage greater interaction between French luxury maisons and Indian designers, artisans, creative entrepreneurs, and institutions.
The event brought together leaders from luxury maisons, fashion, design, retail, real estate, policy, law, education, culture, and India's craft and couture ecosystems to discuss India's growing role in the global luxury landscape.
Strategic Importance
The signing occurred at a pivotal moment for India's luxury sector. Expanding premium retail infrastructure, rising consumer sophistication, deep craft traditions, and a confident new generation of designers are positioning India both as a fast-growing luxury market and as an increasingly influential creative voice. Diplomatic speakers at the event included H.E. Mr. Sanjeev Singla, Ambassador of India to France and the Principality of Monaco; Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia (IAS), Secretary, DPIIT, Government of India; Nicolas Dross, Trade Advisor, European Commission; and Ms. Éléonore Caroit, Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad. They underlined the strategic importance of this partnership in strengthening bilateral cooperation across luxury, craft, culture, and the creative industries.
Quotes from Key Figures
Benedicte Epinay, President & CEO of Comite Colbert, said: "France and India share a profound respect for the hand, the eye and the time required to create objects of lasting value. This MoU opens a new chapter of exchange between French maisons and India's creative ecosystem. It is an invitation to learn from one another, to celebrate craftsmanship in its many forms, and to imagine how heritage can remain alive, relevant and inspiring for future generations."
Payal S. Kanwar, Director General of IFCCI, stated: "This MoU gives structure to a relationship whose potential has long been evident. As one of the world's fastest growing consumer markets, India is emerging as a strategic growth destination for luxury brands and an increasingly important voice in conversations on retail, craftsmanship, consumer insight, policy and cultural value. Through this collaboration, IFCCI will help build a more continuous and purposeful bridge between the French and Indian luxury ecosystems."
Srimoyi Bhattacharya, Chairperson of the IFCCI Luxury Committee and Founder of Peepul Advisory, added: "Luxury is one of the most powerful languages of cultural diplomacy because it carries memory, skill, identity and imagination. India and France both understand that excellence is not built overnight; it is transmitted across generations. This partnership allows us to connect two cultures of savoir-faire, while giving India's designers, artisans and creative entrepreneurs a stronger voice in the global luxury dialogue."
Programme Overview
Beyond the signing, the programme mapped the structural, creative, and cultural forces shaping India's luxury ecosystem. Sessions covered policy and legal frameworks, India's role in the global luxury value chain, couture, retail infrastructure, consumer insight, digital influence, talent development, handloom innovation, and future Indo-French exchange.
About IFCCI and Comite Colbert
The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) is one of the most active chambers within the global CCI France International network, which spans 125 chambers across 95 countries. It has seven offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Paris. IFCCI launched its Luxury Committee in November 2022, bringing together leading French and Indian luxury and premium brands. As India's luxury market expands, the IFCCI Luxury Committee provides companies with a platform for knowledge-sharing, advocacy, dialogue, and the promotion of ideas.
Comite Colbert was founded in 1954 by Jean-Jacques Guerlain and brings together French luxury maisons, cultural institutions, and European luxury maisons. Its mission is to promote, sustainably develop, and transmit French savoir-faire and creation, while championing French art de vivre on the world stage.
