Emmanuel Macron and Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bharat Innovates exhibition in Nice this Sunday. Organized for the first time outside of India, the event brings together 120 Indian startups until June 16, marking a new milestone in the Franco-Indian partnership, on the eve of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains.
Nice was at the center of Franco-Indian relations this Sunday, June 14. Emmanuel Macron welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the opening of Bharat Innovates, an exhibition dedicated to Indian innovation and technologies held at the Exhibition Palace.
Driven by the Indian Ministry of Education, the event took place abroad for the first time. Over three days, 120 Indian startups are presenting their projects in several strategic sectors, including energy, smart cities, mobility, space, and health.
During the inauguration, Emmanuel Macron emphasized India’s place in the field of innovation. The Head of State declared that he does not consider India “only as a country that provides talents […] of industrial or technological outsourcing, but as a very great country of innovations that builds its own breakthrough models, and which has become essential.“
The President of the Republic also indicated he came to “convince” the investors present of “what France is”, referring to the development of jobs related to artificial intelligence.
Nice at the heart of Franco-Indian dialogue
The visit of Narendra Modi to the French Riviera is a continuation of Emmanuel Macron’s trip to India last February, marked by the launch of the Franco-Indian year of innovation.
For this eighth official visit to France, Narendra Modi was welcomed Saturday in Nice by Éric Ciotti. The Mayor of Nice welcomed the “singular place our city now occupies in the dialogue between the great nations, investors, researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world […] India is now establishing itself as one of the most dynamic and innovative nations in the world. I was honored to be able to exchange with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the many cooperation opportunities that exist between his country and our territory. Our discussions confirmed the shared desire to develop new partnerships between India and Nice in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, higher education, and tourism.”
The Bharat Innovates exhibition continues until June 16. Éric Ciotti is expected to visit on Monday to meet with the delegations and companies present.
After the exhibition opening, Emmanuel Macron and Narendra Modi went to Villa Kérylos, in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, for a bilateral meeting. The day took place under significant security measures in Nice and neighboring municipalities.
The choice of Nice to host Bharat Innovates met several criteria highlighted by Indian authorities. The city is presented as a gateway to Europe and as an innovation hub in the Mediterranean basin. The territory’s infrastructure, particularly the airport, also influenced this decision.
The French and Indian delegations will then proceed to Évian-les-Bains for the G7 summit, organized from June 15 to 17. India is among the countries invited to this edition.
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