The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) announced that its Luxury Committee and Comite Colbert will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 1, 2026, in Paris. The agreement aims to deepen collaboration between India and France in luxury, craftsmanship, culture, and creative industries. This partnership is the first such association by an international industry body focused specifically on the Indian luxury market, underscoring India's growing role in the global luxury landscape.
Key Signatories and Their Vision
Benedicte Epinay, President & CEO of Comite Colbert, stated: "Comite Colbert was founded to promote, develop, and transmit French savoir-faire and creation. India, with its exceptional craft heritage, cultural depth, and rapidly evolving luxury landscape, is a natural partner for dialogue. Through this MoU with the IFCCI Luxury Committee, we hope to encourage mutual understanding, knowledge-sharing, and long-term engagement between French maisons and India's creative ecosystem."
Payal S. Kanwar, Director General of IFCCI, added: "India and France share a deep-rooted strategic partnership built over decades. This MoU with Comite Colbert reflects our shared ambition to create a structured and long-term platform for the luxury sector, bringing together policy, business, craftsmanship, and cultural exchange. At a time when confidence in India's luxury market is stronger than ever, this partnership will help enable conversations and collaborations that strengthen Indo-French luxury relations in a meaningful, future-facing and impactful way."
Srimoyi Bhattacharya, Chairperson of the IFCCI Luxury Committee, commented: "Luxury today is not only about products or markets; it is about excellence, experience, and the ability to create enduring cultural value. India's luxury story is entering a powerful new chapter, shaped by a discerning consumer, expanding markets, extraordinary craft traditions, and a growing appetite for global dialogue. This partnership with Comite Colbert allows us to build a bridge between French savoir-faire and India's creative and business energy, while opening new conversations around craft, culture, innovation and responsible growth."
What the MoU Entails for Industry Stakeholders
Under the MoU, the IFCCI Luxury Committee and Comite Colbert plan to collaborate on roundtables, symposiums, industry delegations, knowledge papers, policy dialogues, and cultural exchange programmes. The partnership will foster engagement between French maisons and Indian designers, artisans, and creative leaders, while promoting a deeper understanding of India's evolving luxury market and France's legacy of savoir-faire.
The signing event in July will feature discussions on the Indian luxury market, retail infrastructure, evolving consumer behaviour, policy frameworks, craftsmanship, sustainability, and the rising global voice of Indian couture. Participants will include representatives from fashion, beauty, design, retail, real estate, public policy, and cultural institutions.
Why This Partnership Matters Now
As India emerges as one of the world's most dynamic luxury markets, the partnership aims to go beyond market access and create a long-term platform for knowledge exchange, institutional engagement, market insight, craft collaboration, and cultural dialogue. Anchored in shared values of heritage, craftsmanship, innovation, sustainability, and cultural excellence, the collaboration will also support India's growing capabilities in retail, design, skill development, and the creative economy.
A recent IFCCI survey of leading French, European, and Indian designer-goods companies operating in India revealed that all participating companies expressed a positive outlook on India's market growth over the next five years. Most respondents indicated planned or ongoing investments in retail expansion, experience-led formats, and skill development, while a strong majority expressed interest in structured collaboration around artisan partnerships, local engagement, and capability building. These findings highlight the relevance of a sustained Indo-French platform at a pivotal moment in India's luxury evolution.
About the Organizations
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. The committee provides a platform for knowledge-sharing, advocacy, dialogue, and promotion of ideas within the rapidly expanding Indian luxury market.
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.
