Marseilles/New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) In a major step in civil nuclear energy cooperation, India and France agreed on establishment of partnership in Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors, following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron of France in Marseilles.
The two leaders also jointly inaugurated India’s Consulate in Marseille, and paid homage to the Indian soldiers who died during World War I at the Mazargues War Cemetery.
Earlier, the two leaders flew together from Paris to Marseille in the French Presidential Aircraft on Tuesday, in a special gesture reflecting the personal rapport between the two leaders.
They held discussions on the full spectrum of bilateral relations and key global and regional issues.
This was followed by delegation level talks after arrival in Marseille.
The leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to the India-France Strategic Partnership, which has steadily evolved into a multifaceted relationship over the past 25 years, a statement said.
The talks covered all aspects of the India-France strategic partnership. The two leaders reviewed cooperation in the strategic areas of Defence, Civil Nuclear Energy and Space.
They also discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in the fields of Technology and Innovation. This area of partnership assumes greater salience in the backdrop of the just concluded AI Action Summit and the upcoming India-France Year of Innovation in 2026.
The leaders also called for enhancing trade and investment ties and in this regard welcomed the report of the 14th India- France CEOs Forum.
Prime Minister Modi and President Macron expressed satisfaction at the ongoing collaboration in the fields of health, culture, tourism, education and people-to-people ties. They committed to further deepen engagement in the Indo-Pacific and in global forums and initiatives.
A Joint Statement outlining the way forward for India- France ties was adopted after the talks.
Ten outcomes in the areas of Technology and Innovation, Civil Nuclear Energy, Triangular Cooperation, Environment, Culture and People to People relations were also finalized.
President Macron hosted a dinner in honour of Prime Minister in the coastal town of Cassis, near Marseille. Prime Minister invited President Macron to visit India.
List of Outcomes:
1. India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
2. Launch of the Logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026
3. Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Center for the Digital Sciences
4. Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station
5. Declaration of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors (civil nuclear energy)
6. Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) (civil nuclear energy)
7. Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) France (civil nuclear energy)
8. Joint Declaration of Intent on Triangular Development Cooperation (Indo-Pacific/ Sustainable Development)
9. Joint Inauguration of India’s Consulate in Marseille
10. Declaration of Intent between The Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries and The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Field of Environment.
UNI RN