Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal called on French investors to explore India's manufacturing sector at 'Bharat Innovates' in Nice, France,on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron were present.
Goyal stressed India's potential,saying,"I would invite our French friends to visit India,invest in India,design in India,innovate in India and manufacture in India, both for large domestic market and export from India to rest of world." He noted global economic shifts have spurred demand for partnerships with reliable allies,claiming,"that is what India brings to the table." He also spoke of India's thriving innovation scene,fueled by around 230,000 startups.
Modi's France visit is part of a week-long tour, including the G-7 Summit and a two-day stay in Slovakia. Bilateral trade between India and France dropped to USD 15.81 billion in 2025-26 from USD 15.19 billion year earlier. But France still plays key role in India’s economy, ranking as 11th-largest investor with USD 12.25 billion in foreign direct investment recorded from April 2000 to March 2025.
