A mechanism to double annual bilateral trade from the existing $16 billion in five years; an India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030; a joint working group focussed on AI (artificial intelligence) governance; an economic security dialogue; increased cooperation on defence and space — these were among the key outcomes of the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice, France, on Sunday.Modi, who arrived in Nice on Saturday, is scheduled to travel to Slovakia from June 14-16. He will be back in France for the G7 meeting in Evian-les-Bains on June 16-17, and is also scheduled to go to Paris.Addressing Macron in a post on X, Modi said: “Nice to have met you in Nice. A productive first leg indeed. The India-France partnership will keep scaling new heights. See you in Evian and Paris.”Explained | PM Modi’s France visit: How trust has underpinned India-France tiesThis was their first meeting since the elevation of India-France ties to a ‘special global strategic partnership’ earlier this year.“The two leaders held extensive discussions covering diverse aspects of bilateral relations,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.They shared ideas to strengthen and diversify bilateral ties in the fields of economic growth, technology and innovation, talent mobility and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, it said.In this context, they noted the “steady growth in bilateral trade and agreed to set up a high-level mechanism to double it within five years,” the MEA said.Story continues below this adRead | As Narendra Modi, Donald Trump head to G7, India and US face off over attacks on ships“They called for early implementation of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, which offers a unique opportunity to expand bilateral trade and investment. The leaders also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the SME, aviation and railway sectors. They welcomed the agreement to establish a Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics in Kanpur. Welcoming the establishment of a Dialogue on Economic Security, both leaders agreed to strengthen supply chain resilience, especially in critical minerals,” it said.On defence cooperation, the MEA said, the two leaders “expressed satisfaction at the excellent growth and depth of bilateral defence collaboration across all domains and agreed to further intensify it with focus on co-design, co-development and co-production of defence platforms and advanced technologies.”India-France defence cooperation spans the entire spectrum from air and naval assets, to helicopter engines and missiles. Some flagship examples include the Rafales acquired by the Indian Air Force and Navy, Scorpene submarines and Shakti helicopter engines.During Macron’s visit to India in January 2024, it was decided to set up a H125 Helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Vemagal, Karnataka. Set up by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in partnership with Airbus, the FAL was inaugurated in February 2026.Story continues below this ad“Both leaders noted the rich legacy of cooperation in the space sector and discussed furthering collaboration in human spaceflight and space situational awareness. They also discussed ways to expand private sector collaboration in space,” the statement said.The two sides have a six-decade old cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and France’s Centre national d’études spatiales (CNES).“In civil nuclear energy, they noted that India’s SHANTI Act creates new opportunities for collaboration, including on small and advanced modular reactors,” the MEA said.Recognising the key role of innovation and technology in the bilateral relationship, the statement said “both sides adopted an ‘Innovation Roadmap 2030’ to give the partnership a long-term direction”.Story continues below this ad“Both leaders discussed expanding cooperation on Artificial Intelligence and agreed to create a Joint India-France AI Working Group for the purpose. The joint inauguration of Bharat Innovates at Nice by the leaders, and Prime Minister’s upcoming participation at Vivatech in Paris have further strengthened the partnership between the two countries in sectors such as deep-tech, semiconductors, agri-tech, med-tech, renewable energy, defence and space,” it said.Both leaders, it said, appreciated the continued expansion of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) in France, as well as the signing of 19 agreements among institutions linked to the innovation ecosystems of both countries. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that airports in Nice and Paris would now have UPI.“The two leaders emphasised the importance of enhancing people-to-people ties. In this context, the Prime Minister thanked President Macron for the swift operationalisation of visa-free transit for Indian nationals at French airports,” the MEA said.On education cooperation, it said the two sides discussed ways to enhance mobility of talent and students and expand mutual recognition of educational qualifications. The PM invited French universities to open campuses in India under the New Education Policy, it said.Story continues below this adThe leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation among museums and cultural institutions, including the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal.The MEA said Modi and Macron also exchanged perspectives on matters of global importance, including the current situation in West Asia and Ukraine. “The Prime Minister looked forward to participating in the upcoming G7 summit in Evian and thanked President Macron for engaging India in substantive discussions leading up to the summit,” it said.It said both leaders reiterated the importance of the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership in creating further opportunities for the peoples of the two countries and advancing international peace, stability and prosperity.