French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday hailed India's Chandrayaan-3 mission as a defining example of the country's growing technological capabilities, stating that the first-ever landing near the Moon's South Pole in July 2023 demonstrated India's strengths in innovation, research, and industrial implementation.
Macron's Address at Bharat Innovates 2026
Addressing the Bharat Innovates Launch 2026 in Nice, France, Macron said that the mission had helped reshape how the world views India as a leading force in global innovation. He emphasized that France sees India as a natural innovation partner, pointing to the country's demographic advantages and strong talent base.
“So why is it obvious for France to believe in that capacity to innovate in India? Well, I would say to put it bluntly, you have the demographic dividends,” Macron said.
Demographic Dividend and Talent Pool
Macron noted that India's vast population and emphasis on education and research have created a formidable pool of skilled professionals. “A country with 1.4 billion inhabitants, a country who pays on know-how and research, knowledge, and training as many engineers as Europe and the US come in more than one million per year,” he added.
Describing India as a major driver of technological advancement, Macron said, “In every respect, a country with research innovations and frontier models is spearheading global innovation.”
Chandrayaan-3: A Landmark Achievement
The French President turned to India's achievements in space exploration, singling out Chandrayaan-3 as an example of the country's growing influence in cutting-edge technologies. “If I only had to mention the one example on what you can do, airspace is the perfect example,” Macron said.
“With the Chandrayaan 3 mission in July 2023, which allowed the very first moon landing on the south pole of the moon that was led in record time by ISRO with record cost, is a demonstration in terms of strengths, innovation, but also in terms of implementations at the industrial level,” he added.
Transforming Global Perceptions
According to Macron, the success of the lunar mission has transformed international perceptions of India and underscored its role as a technology leader. It “has led many countries of the world to see India how it's like today.” Rejecting the notion that India is merely a hub for outsourced services, he said, “It's not only a country full of contractors. No, absolutely not.” He added, “It's a country of innovation and disrupting country in terms of technologies.”
About Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 is the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) historic lunar mission that made India the fourth country to soft-land on the Moon and the first to reach its unexplored southern polar region. Launched on July 14, 2023, the spacecraft successfully landed on August 23, 2023.
Bharat Innovates 2026 Conclave
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated the 'Bharat Innovates 2026' conclave in Nice, bringing together leading startups, innovators, and venture capital funds from India, France, and several other countries. The high-profile event, which runs from June 14 to June 16, marks a crucial milestone in the ongoing 'India-France Year of Innovation' and underscores the rapidly expanding tech partnership between the two nations. The three-day innovation conclave serves as a powerful platform to connect Indian innovators with global investors, industry leaders, and academic institutions.
