India and France unveil Innovation Roadmap 2030; focus on AI, startups, space and education

Nice[France]: India and France on Sunday adopted the Innovation Roadmap 2030 following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice.

The roadmap provides a comprehensive framework to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), research, education, innovation, startups, healthcare, and emerging technologies.

It builds on the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, adopted during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Paris in July 2023 as the Guest of Honour at France’s Bastille Day celebrations, which laid out a long-term vision for the strategic partnership between the two countries.

President Macron and Prime Minister Modi jointly launched the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 on February 17 during the French President’s state visit to India. The visit also saw the elevation of bilateral ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership.

“India and France recognize innovation as a central driver of economic resilience, sustainable development, strategic autonomy, and technological and industrial sovereignty. Both sides agree that a strengthened innovation partnership will help unlock the full innovation potential of the two countries and contribute to solutions for global challenges,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Trusted AI at the Centre of Cooperation

A key pillar of the innovation roadmap is the development of a partnership for “Trusted AI”. India and France have agreed to work together on promoting safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems aligned with democratic values and human rights.

The two countries will encourage cooperation among regulators, standards bodies and technical experts to develop interoperable and risk-based approaches to AI governance, including for frontier and generative AI technologies.

Recognising the risks posed by AI-enabled services to children in digital environments, both nations have identified online child safety as a priority area. They will collaborate on initiatives such as privacy-preserving age assurance systems, safety-by-design mechanisms and outcome-based safety standards for AI applications interacting with children.

India and France also highlighted the importance of privacy-preserving data-sharing frameworks to unlock the potential of AI-driven innovation while safeguarding fundamental rights. Cooperation will draw on India’s Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) and France’s experience in trusted data spaces and health data platforms.

Boost to Academic Mobility and Talent Exchange

The roadmap places strong emphasis on people-to-people ties and academic collaboration.

India and France reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening mobility of students, researchers and professionals. Both countries acknowledged France’s objective of welcoming 30,000 Indian students by 2030.

The two sides also expressed their intention to work towards expanding the existing Mutual Recognition of Qualifications framework, originally signed in 2018. The proposed expansion would cover a broader range of academic disciplines, regulated professions and emerging technology sectors, facilitating student mobility, dual-degree programmes and doctoral collaborations.

Several Indian and French educational institutions have also agreed to collaborate through student exchange programmes, research partnerships and academic cooperation initiatives.

Strengthening Innovation Ecosystems

India and France have underscored the importance of stronger collaboration among governments, industries, startups, universities and research institutions to support innovation-led growth and resilient supply chains.

The roadmap recognises the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPRA) as a flagship platform for bilateral scientific cooperation and highlights its enhanced focus on innovation and technology co-development.

The India-France Innovation Network (IFIN), launched during the Year of Innovation, has been identified as a key mechanism for connecting innovation ecosystems in both countries. Discussions are also expected on establishing a joint steering committee to support the network’s long-term governance.

Both countries also reaffirmed support for the Franco-Indian Campus in Life Sciences for Health as a platform for cooperation in biomedical research and health innovation.

New Initiatives in Aerospace, Startups and Space Cooperation

Among the new initiatives announced under the roadmap is the establishment of a Franco-Indian Campus for Aeronautics Training and Careers in Kanpur in partnership with India’s Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

India and France have also acknowledged the potential of the proposed India-France InnoXchange Bridge, envisioned as a dedicated corridor linking research institutions, startups, innovation clusters and investors in both countries. The initiative aims to facilitate collaborative research, innovation immersion programmes and startup expansion opportunities.

The two countries further agreed to explore enhanced engagement between small and medium enterprises to support innovation and employment generation.

In the space sector, India and France reiterated their commitment to expanding cooperation between government agencies and private space ecosystems. The two countries will host major international space events in September, including the Bengaluru Space Expo and the International Space Summit in Paris, which are expected to contribute to deeper collaboration in Earth observation, human space exploration and future space missions.

Cooperation in Health and Data Innovation

The roadmap also envisages closer cooperation in developing AI-enabled solutions for healthcare and global public health challenges.

Building on ongoing collaboration between India’s Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and France’s Health Data Hub, both countries will work towards consent-based and secure data-sharing architectures. These frameworks are intended to support public-interest research and AI innovation while ensuring compliance with national legal systems and protection of individual rights.

As part of the roadmap, India and France have also facilitated a wide range of agreements involving Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institute of Science and leading French universities, research institutions and companies. The agreements cover areas such as student exchanges, entrepreneurship, sustainability, climate technologies, aerospace, artificial intelligence, digital platforms and advanced computing.

(DD News)