FM Nirmala Sitharaman Begins Four-Day France Visit To Deepen Economic Partnership

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday began a four-day official visit to France, where she is set to hold a series of high-level meetings aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, boosting investment and advancing the India-France Strategic Partnership.

A major focus of the visit will be the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in Aix-en-Provence. Sitharaman will co-chair the meeting with France's Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty, Roland Lescure. The dialogue is expected to explore new avenues for bilateral cooperation across sectors and further strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Focus on investment and economic opportunities

The visit underlines India's continued efforts to expand global economic partnerships by engaging with governments as well as business leaders. Sitharaman is scheduled to hold one-on-one meetings with select global chief executive officers and participate in a roundtable with leading business executives to highlight India's strong macroeconomic fundamentals, structural reforms, investment opportunities and long-term growth prospects.

She will also take part in a panel discussion titled How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class at Les Rencontres Économiques d'Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe's leading annual forums on global economic and public policy issues.

Technology and strategic collaboration in focus

Beyond economic discussions, the visit reflects the broadening scope of India-France cooperation into areas such as science, technology and cybersecurity. Sitharaman will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project at Cadarache, one of the world's largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion involving more than 30 partner countries, including India and France.

She is also scheduled to visit Campus Cyber, France’s national hub for cybersecurity innovation, research and skill development, where discussions are expected to focus on sharing best practices for strengthening cyber resilience and encouraging innovation in the digital economy.

During the visit, Sitharaman will meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) Region, to discuss cooperation in areas including investment, innovation, clean energy, technology and regional economic partnerships.

On the final day of her visit, the finance minister will interact with members of the Indian diaspora in France. (with inputs from agencies)