- LE News Desk 

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday held a virtual meeting with France’s Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste, to review ongoing cooperation between India and France and explore new opportunities in space, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. The meeting highlighted the growing partnership between the two countries in the fields of science, research and innovation. Dr Singh said that declaring 2026 as the “Indo-French Year of Innovation” would further strengthen cooperation in modern technology sectors. He said India’s Department of Science and Technology is working closely with several leading French institutions on projects related to advanced materials, digital science, applied mathematics and artificial intelligence.

Dr Singh also reviewed the long-standing partnership between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and France’s space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES). He mentioned successful joint satellite missions such as Megha-Tropiques Mission and SARAL Mission, along with ongoing work on the TRISHNA project. The minister also spoke about cooperation on developing NavIC ground stations in France and appreciated French support for India’s Gaganyaan Programme. Highlighting the rapid growth of India’s private space sector, Dr Singh said recent reforms have encouraged the rise of nearly 400 space startups, creating new possibilities for industry partnerships between India and France.

Philippe Baptiste described India as a trusted and important partner in space and research cooperation. He expressed interest in expanding collaboration in Earth observation, launch systems and future space exploration missions. The French minister also suggested stronger cooperation in ocean-related data sharing through the “Space for Ocean Alliance” initiative and proposed closer coordination between French and Indian space agencies. He said France is ready to work with India in human spaceflight programmes, including astronaut training, microgravity experiments and long-term joint missions.

Baptiste invited India to participate in the International Space Summit to be held in Paris in September 2026. He also proposed linking the summit with the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, which will be organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in partnership with ISRO, IN-SPACe and NSIL from September 7 to 9 in Bengaluru.

Responding positively, Dr Singh said India is open to deeper cooperation in ocean research and human spaceflight. He highlighted India’s Deep Ocean Mission and the country’s long coastline as important strengths for marine research partnerships. Both countries also appreciated the role of the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research in promoting scientific collaboration between institutions of the two nations. The meeting ended with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening ties in science, technology and space through innovation, research and industry participation.

Source: https://ddnews.gov.in/