The India-France Year of Innovation 2026, announced during the State visit of President Emmanuel Macron to India in January 2024, marks a bold new chapter in the strategic partnership between France and India. At its core lies the idea that innovation is a vital driving force in Indo-French ties.
Building on several key initiatives, such as the Indo-French co-presidency of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris in February 2025, this cross-cutting initiative reflects a joint vision of President Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi: to pursue innovation in all its broad sense such as the technological, industrial, social, environmental, cultural and artistic dimensions.
In a rapidly shifting global landscape, with AI and emerging technologies transforming every sector, India and France are uniquely positioned to build new bridges. That is why 2026 will focus on four high-impact areas where Indo-French collaboration matters most: aerospace, health, food and well-being, sustainable development and energy transition, cultural and creative industries.
Team France in India is fully committed to crafting a dynamic, nationwide programme that will culminate in a landmark year of events, exchanges, opportunities, and concrete deliverables. All the departments of the Embassy, the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), and related agencies in the French network are eager to collaborate with the French and Indian ecosystems to advance joint innovation.
The same ambition is shared by our Indian counterparts in France, who will draft a similar programme across the country with key events to address the French audience and share the best of Indo-French innovation. On the occasion of his official visit to India in 2026, President Macron will launch the Year of Innovation along with Prime Minister Modi. The spectacular opening ceremony will include a digital artwork to be presented in India for the first time.
The India-France Year of Innovation not only symbolises progress but also underscores the coming together of two great nations, two rich cultures, and two innovation ecosystems. From oceans to space, from code poetry to digital healthcare, from sustainable ecosystems to immersive art, every spark of innovation contributes to a shared constellation of ideas.
2026 is the year that France and India will turn ideas into impact, and ignite the future together.
cultural and creative industries
