Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, undertook a significant three-day official visit to France beginning June 1, 2025, aimed at deepening the economic and strategic partnership between India and France.

A key highlight of the visit was Goyal’s productive meeting with Eric Lombard, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, where both leaders focused on expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, investments, and technology.

The discussions underscored a shared commitment to innovation and economic growth, with particular attention to enhancing collaboration across sectors such as renewable energy, automobile manufacturing, electric vehicles, and consumer products.

A major agenda item was the review of progress in the ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Goyal expressed optimism that the FTA could be finalised ahead of the year-end deadline, emphasising the complementary nature of the Indian and European economies and noting that there are minimal areas of divergence between the two sides. He acknowledged, however, that certain sensitive issues would require careful negotiation to ensure mutual benefit.

During his stay in Paris, Goyal also engaged with the top leadership of major French companies, including EDF Energy, Renault Group, L’Oréal Groupe, and Total Energies, to explore new opportunities for India’s growth and to promote India as a key partner in the global clean energy transition. The visit featured high-level business forums such as the India-France Business Round Table and the India-France CEO Forum, fostering direct dialogue between industry leaders from both countries.

Additionally, Goyal participated in an informal gathering of WTO Ministers on the margins of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, where he articulated India’s perspectives on key multilateral trade issues, including agriculture, fisheries, investment facilitation, and reforms in the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism. He also held bilateral meetings with counterparts from the United Kingdom, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Nigeria, and Brazil, further advancing India’s strategic economic cooperation and providing impetus to the India-EU FTA negotiations.

Goyal’s engagements in France reflect India’s proactive approach to strengthening bilateral and multilateral economic ties, positioning itself as a pivotal player in global trade and investment. Following his engagements in France, the Minister is scheduled to proceed to Italy for the next leg of his official visit.

Agencies