India and France deepen economic ties as Finance Minister visits for key talks
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began a four-day official visit to France on Wednesday (July 1, 2026), aimed at strengthening the India-France Strategic Partnership and enhancing economic cooperation.
The visit includes the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in Aix-en-Provence, which Ms. Sitharaman will co-chair with France's Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty, Roland Lescure. The dialogue will focus on expanding bilateral cooperation in various sectors, according to an official statement.
Ms. Sitharaman is scheduled to hold one-on-one meetings with global chief executive officers and participate in a roundtable with business leaders to highlight India's macroeconomic fundamentals, structural reforms, and investment opportunities.
She will also take part in a panel discussion on "How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class" at Les Rencontres Économiques d'Aix-en-Provence, a major European forum on global economic and public policy issues.
Other engagements include visits to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in Cadarache, a large international nuclear fusion collaboration involving India and France, and Campus Cyber, France's national hub for cybersecurity innovation.
The Finance Minister is also expected to meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, to discuss investment, innovation, clean energy, technology, and regional economic partnerships. On the final day, she will interact with members of the Indian diaspora in France.
