Addressing the 14th India-France CEO Forum in Paris on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India as a preferred global investment destination, citing the “ecosystem of stable and predictable policy” established under his leadership over the last decade. He urged global investors to recognize that “this is the right time to come to India.”

“This is the right time to come to India. Everyone’s progress is linked to India’s progress. An example of this was seen in the aviation sector when Indian companies placed large orders for airplanes. And now, when we are going to open 120 new airports, you can imagine the future possibilities for yourselves,” PM Modi said in his address.

The Prime Minister emphasized that India has followed a path of reform, performance, and transformation, positioning itself as the world’s fifth-largest economy and the fastest-growing major economy, soon to become the third-largest.

Focusing on India’s expanding defence manufacturing capabilities, PM Modi stated, “Our identity on the global stage is that today India is rapidly becoming a preferred global investment destination. We have launched the Semiconductor and Quantum Mission in India, and we are encouraging ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the World’ in defence.”

He further noted India’s advancements in space technology, which has now been opened for foreign direct investment (FDI), and expressed India’s ambition to become a global biotech powerhouse.

During the India-France CEOs Forum, PM Modi invited companies to invest in India, highlighting opportunities across various sectors, including defence, advanced technologies, fintech, pharmaceuticals, textiles, agriculture, aviation, healthcare, highways, space, and sustainable development.

“When France’s finesse meets India’s scale, it will lead to global transformation,” he remarked, underscoring the potential of Indo-French collaboration.

PM Modi welcomed the CEO Forum report and praised the guiding mantra of “innovate, collaborate, and elevate” that is driving the India-France partnership.

“I welcome the report of the CEO Forum. I can see that all of you are working with the mantra of innovate, collaborate, and elevate. You are not just making boardroom connections but also strengthening the India-France strategic partnership. This is my sixth meeting with President Emmanuel Macron in the last two years. This morning, we co-chaired the AI Action Summit,” he said.

Highlighting India’s commitment to clean energy, PM Modi discussed India’s Hydrogen Mission and the target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047.

“We have taken up the Hydrogen Mission. By 2047, we have set a target of 100 GW of nuclear power. This will be opened to the private sector. We are opening the civil nuclear domain to private industries,” he said.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which boast a power capacity of 300 MW per unit, and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), a type of SMR that uses non-light water coolants, were also mentioned as part of India’s nuclear energy plans.

PM Modi expressed his gratitude to President Macron for a “successful” CEO Forum, acknowledging the role of the forum in strengthening economic ties and fostering innovation between the two nations.

“The India-France CEO Forum plays a key role in strengthening economic ties and fostering innovation. It is gladdening to see business leaders from both nations collaborate and create new opportunities across key sectors. This drives growth, investment, and ensures a better future for the coming generations,” PM Modi said in a post on social media platform X.

Earlier on Tuesday, while addressing the AI Summit in Paris, PM Modi called for democratic and accessible technologies and bias-free data sets. The summit, aimed at bolstering international cooperation in the artificial intelligence (AI) domain, saw PM Modi advocating for technological governance that promotes innovation and transparency.

“AI is writing the codes of humanity in this century,” he stated, urging global cooperation to establish AI governance with greater transparency and accessibility.

PM Modi received a warm welcome from President Macron, who greeted him with a hug at a dinner in Paris ahead of their co-chairing of the AI Summit. During the dinner, PM Modi also met US Vice President JD Vance, who attended the AI Summit.

The Prime Minister is currently on a two-day visit to France.