India and France Co-Chair Economic and Financial Dialogue
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and French Minister of Economy, Finance, Industrial, Energy, and Digital Sovereignty Roland Lescure co-chaired the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue in Aix-en-Provence on July 3, 2026. The Ministry of Finance announced that the dialogue aimed to strengthen economic engagement within the framework of the special global strategic partnership between the two nations.
According to the Ministry, resuming high-level exchanges on the international outlook, bilateral cooperation, and outcome-oriented solutions had become essential as economic ties deepen. The meeting followed commitments made during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India in February 2026 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's engagement to hold the dialogue in 2026.
Discussions on Multilateral Coordination and Global Growth
The discussions covered coordination in multilateral forums and specific areas for expanding bilateral cooperation. Both ministers spoke about greater alignment of India-France positions within platforms such as the G20 and the Paris Club. The talks were held in the context of India's association with the French G7 presidency. They also exchanged views on the world economic outlook and the challenges facing global growth.
The Ministry said a key focus was on building cooperation around economic sovereignty and security. India and France discussed the roll-out of cooperation on critical minerals as part of a broader conversation on securing resilient supply chains. Ways to increase cross-investments were also taken up.
Infrastructure and Railway Cooperation
In the infrastructure space, the two sides explored opportunities in the high-speed railway sector, building on the declaration of intent on railways signed earlier. The Ministry added that proposals to further connect the financial industries of India and France were also on the table, aiming to support greater trade, investment, and technology collaboration between the two economies.
Both ministers recognised the value of the French Development Agency's work in India for economic development and welcomed prospects for future projects in areas such as urban infrastructure, climate, and energy.
Future Plans and Strategic Platform
The Ministry of Finance stated that the two ministers pledged to use the Economic and Financial Dialogue as the main platform for addressing economic, financial, technological, investment, and trade matters between India and France. They also agreed to explore the possibility of holding the next edition of the dialogue in 2027. The Ministry noted that the dialogue is expected to help both countries coordinate more closely on supply chains, clean energy, digital sovereignty, and infrastructure financing in the coming years.
