Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has extended a strong invitation to French businesses and investors to partner with India, emphasising the shared goal of advancing growth and prosperity between the two nations.

His remarks came during a visit to France, where he attended a dinner hosted by Harish Salve, the distinguished legal luminary and Chairperson of the Board of IIT-Delhi. The gathering brought together leaders of industry from India and France, members of the academic and research community, and innovators.

Goyal highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, the India–France partnership has gained new momentum, elevated across strategic, economic, technological and innovation-driven sectors.

In his post on X, Goyal reiterated his call for businesses and investors to join hands with India in advancing shared growth and prosperity, while working towards a brighter and more sustainable future for the people of both nations.

His engagements in France also included a visit to Sophia Antipolis, Europe’s premier science and technology hub, often described as Europe’s Silicon Valley. The hub is recognised for its unique ecosystem that integrates research, talent and enterprise to drive rapid economic advancement.

Goyal noted that with over 2,600 companies operating across cutting-edge sectors, Sophia Antipolis offers a compelling example of how collaboration between research and enterprise can accelerate technological progress.

During his interactions with industry leaders at the technology park, Goyal championed India’s vision under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, positioning the country as a global powerhouse for innovation and manufacturing.

He invited industry captains to become active partners in India’s remarkable growth story, stressing that as India advances towards becoming a global hub for innovation and manufacturing, opportunities to collaborate, invest and scale together have never been more promising.

His remarks underscored India’s ambition to align with global innovation ecosystems while strengthening its domestic capabilities.

In a separate engagement, Goyal met with Nice’s Mayor Eric Ciotti to reinforce technological ties between India and France. He hosted a dinner attended by distinguished leaders from government, business, innovation and investment ecosystems, further strengthening the collaborative spirit between the two nations.

Goyal emphasised that as India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, its partnership with France is opening new avenues for co-innovation and technological progress. He stressed that these efforts are not only designed to benefit both countries but also to contribute positively to the wider global community.

The visit coincided with Bharat Innovates 2026, hosted at the Palais des Expositions in Nice. The event showcases India’s deep-tech capabilities on the global stage, featuring 120 innovative start-ups and over 20 Institutes of Excellence across 13 critical technology domains.

More than 350 leading investors and venture capitalists from around the world are participating, reflecting the global interest in India’s innovation ecosystem. Bharat Innovates 2026 builds on the momentum of Indo-French cooperation and highlights India’s commitment to becoming a global innovation hub consistent with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

By engaging with French businesses, investors and policymakers, Goyal’s visit has reinforced the strategic and economic partnership between India and France.

His outreach reflects a broader effort to integrate India’s innovation ecosystem with global networks, ensuring that both nations can co-develop solutions that address shared challenges while contributing to global technological advancement.

ANI