On the occasion of Bastille Day, India and France reaffirmed their deepening strategic partnership, with both nations expressing mutual trust and commitment to shared ambitions.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, thanked External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for his warm greetings on France’s National Day. “France and India are united by trust and driven by shared ambition. Let’s keep building our strategic partnership,” Barrot said on X.

EAM Jaishankar had earlier conveyed his greetings to the French government and people, reaffirming the commitment to a stronger bilateral relationship. “Our strategic partnership continues to deepen and diversify,” he stated.

The renewed affirmation comes shortly after Jaishankar’s official visit to France last month, where he met with President Emmanuel Macron and held detailed discussions with Barrot. The leaders reviewed the progress on key initiatives including the Horizon 2047 Roadmap and the Defence Industrial Roadmap.

The visit also emphasized India-France collaboration in critical areas such as defense, space, counter-terrorism, and global security. Both sides discussed expanding cooperation in innovation, technology, trade, education, healthcare, and talent mobility.

Highlighting the longstanding trust between the two nations, the ministers looked forward to celebrating the “India-France Year of Innovation” in 2026, aiming to open new areas of cooperation.

Jaishankar also expressed gratitude for France’s condolences following the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash, reflecting the close and empathetic nature of the partnership.

The continued high-level exchanges and expanding bilateral agenda underscore the shared vision and strategic alignment between India and France, further strengthening one of India’s most robust partnerships in Europe.