Cooperation in nuclear energy, defence on table as Modi heads to France

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day France visit from Monday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. He will co-chair the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit with Macron on February 11.

India and France are likely to unveil a bilateral roadmap on AI during the PM’s visit.

To attend dinner today

• On Monday, the PM will attend a dinner hosted by the French President at the Elysee Palace in honour of visiting heads of government
• The two leaders will visit the war cemetery on Tuesday and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in World War I

US Vice-President JD Vance and Vice-Premier of China Ding Xuexiang along with other key stakeholders are expected to attend the summit. Modi and Macron are also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with focus on defence, space and nuclear energy.

The high-point of Modi’s visit is expected to be a formal announcement on establishing a partnership to produce low and medium power modular nuclear reactors, including Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors.

India has already announced a decision to set up a Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of SMRs with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore. “At least five indigenously developed SMRs will be operationalised by 2033,” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced while presenting the Budget in Parliament on February 1.

India and France have a robust defence partnership. The major ongoing projects include the purchase of Rafale-M aircraft for the Navy and three additional submarines of the Kalvari class. The two countries are also collaborating in development of next generation engines for fighter planes.

A DRDO office was opened in the Indian Embassy in Paris in 2023 for strengthening technology cooperation between India and France.

Last year, the two sides signed a letter of intent on deepening the defence space partnership. India and France have a history of cooperation in the field of space for over 60 years. France remains a major supplier of components and equipment for the Indian space programme. ISRO has been using the launch services of Arianespace for launching its heavier communication satellites on commercial basis.

Ongoing cooperation activities include the joint satellite mission ‘Trishna’.

Last year, the two sides hosted the India-France Strategic Space Dialogue in New Delhi.

On Monday, the PM will attend a dinner hosted by Macron at the Elysee Palace in honour of visiting heads of government and heads of state.

On February 12, PM Modi and Macron will visit the war cemetery and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in World War I.

The two leaders will jointly inaugurate the Consulate General of India in Marseille and will pay a visit to Kadash, which is the site of the international thermal nuclear experimental reactor.

After wrapping up France visit, PM Modi will travel to the US.