FM Sitharaman embarks on 4-day official visit to France to bolster economic ties

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began a four-day official visit to France on Wednesday, July 1, 2026; here he will hold a series of high-level talks aimed at deepening the India-France Strategic Partnership, strengthening economic cooperation and promoting investment.

An official statement said that one of the highlights of the visit will be the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in Aix-en-Provence, which Sitharaman will co-chair with French Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry and Energy Sovereignty Roland Lescure.

It was stated that under the EFD, both countries will discuss potential areas for further bilateral cooperation in various sectors and further develop economic relations between India and France.

During the visit, Ms. Sitharaman will hold one-on-one meetings with select global chief executive officers and participate in a roundtable with leading corporate executives to showcase India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, ongoing structural reforms, growing investment opportunities and long-term growth prospects, it said.

The Minister of Finance will also participate in a panel discussion on “How to Promote the Growth of the New Middle Class” at Les Rencontres Économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe’s leading annual forums on global economics and public policy.

As part of his duties, the Finance Minister will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in Cadarache, one of the world’s largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion involving more than 30 partner countries, including India and France.

He will also visit Campus Cyber, France’s national center for cybersecurity innovation, research and skills development; here, the focus is expected to be on sharing best practices on strengthening cyber resilience and fostering innovation in the digital economy.

The Minister of Finance is also scheduled to meet with Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) Region, to discuss cooperation in areas such as investment, innovation, clean energy, technology and regional economic partnerships.

On the closing day, the Finance Minister will have an interaction with members of the Indian diaspora in France.