Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is on a 4-day visit to France for the India-France Economic & Financial Dialogue. She will co-chair the dialogue, meet global CEOs, and visit the ITER nuclear fusion project and Campus Cyber.
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman embarked on an official 4-day visit to France on Wednesday to participate in a series of high-level bilateral engagements aimed at strengthening the India-France Strategic Partnership, enhancing economic cooperation and promoting investment, technology collaboration and innovation.
India-France Economic & Financial Dialogue
A key engagement during the visit will be the India-France Economic & Financial Dialogue (EFD), which will be co-chaired by Sitharaman and Roland Lescure, France Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Energy Sovereignty, at Aix-en-Provence. As part of the EFD, both countries will discuss potential areas for greater bilateral cooperation in various sectors, and further enhance the economic relations between India and France.
Engagement with Business Leaders
During the visit, the Union Finance Minister will hold one-to-one meetings with select global CEOs and also participate in a roundtable interaction with leading business executives to showcase India's robust macroeconomic fundamentals, ongoing structural reforms, expanding investment opportunities and long-term growth prospects, an official release said.
Panel Discussion at Aix-en-Provence Forum
Sitharaman will participate in a panel discussion on the theme 'How to Promote the Growth of a New Middle Class' at the Les Rencontres Économiques d'Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe's leading annual forums for dialogue on global economic and public policy issues. Organised by Le Cercle des economistes, the forum brings together Heads of Government, Ministers, Central Bankers, business leaders, economists, academics and representatives of international organisations from across the world to deliberate on contemporary economic challenges.
Visits to Strategic Innovation Hubs
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)
The Union Finance Minister will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project at Cadarache. ITER is one of the world's largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion energy, involving more than 30 partner countries, including India and France.
Campus Cyber
She will also undertake a visit to Campus Cyber, France's national hub dedicated to cybersecurity innovation, research, skill development and collaboration among government, industry and academia. The visit is expected to facilitate exchange of experiences and best practices in strengthening cyber resilience and fostering innovation in the digital economy.
Meeting with Regional Leadership
Sitharaman will also meet Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (PACA) Region, and discuss avenues for enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including investment, innovation, clean energy, technology and regional economic partnerships.
Community Engagement
The Union Finance Minister will conclude her official visit with a community event with the members of the Indian diaspora.
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