NICE, France, June 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held a bilateral meeting following the launch of Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France.
The two leaders also shared a warm and candid moment at the iconic Villa Kerylos on the French Riviera, reflecting the strength of India-France ties. Modi and Macron were seen embracing as they met at the historic site.
Built in the ancient Greek Revival style in the early 1900s by French architect Emmanuel Pontremoli, Villa Kerylos has been listed as a historic monument by the French Ministry of Culture since 1966.
Ahead of the bilateral meeting, Modi and Macron inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 at the Palais des Expositions in Nice, highlighting India-France cooperation in innovation and technology while positioning India as an emerging global hub for deep-tech development.
The three-day event brings together Indian deep-tech startups, innovators, researchers, and investors with global innovation funds and industry leaders.
The exhibition features 120 cutting-edge startups and more than 20 institutes of excellence across 13 critical technology sectors, attracting more than 350 leading investors and venture capitalists from around the world.
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Modi thanked Macron for his presence and described India and France as steadfast partners committed to addressing global challenges.
He highlighted key bilateral initiatives, including the International Solar Alliance, cooperation in artificial intelligence, and efforts to promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
The prime minister noted that the event was being held during the India-France Year of Innovation and described Bharat Innovates as another milestone in the shared commitment of the two countries to work for global good.
Referring to India’s startup revolution, Modi said the deep-tech solutions on display reflected the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.
He underlined the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and satellite technology for rural development, advanced manufacturing for sustainable living, and green hydrogen, battery technologies, and electric mobility for clean development.
Highlighting the opportunities created by the ongoing technological revolution, the prime minister urged innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs to develop technologies that are trusted, inclusive, and human-centric.
He stressed that startups should be evaluated not only by their market valuation but also by the impact they create for humanity.
Calling this the core message of Bharat Innovates, Modi invited the global innovation community to partner with India in shaping the next chapter of technological advancement.
The prime minister also interacted with startups and innovators working in frontier sectors, including quantum computing, semiconductors, biotechnology, defense, space, healthcare, medtech, advanced materials, and clean energy.
Modi and Macron toured the exhibition and engaged with entrepreneurs showcasing breakthrough technologies across these sectors.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Bharat Innovates reflects the Government of India’s commitment to transforming the country into a global innovation hub in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat, while underscoring the growing importance of India-France collaboration in shaping the future global technology landscape.
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