Digital era calls for 'trust, transparency': EAM at India-France CEO Forum

Partnerships have a real meaning only when they get translated on the ground, and that responsibility rests largely with business, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the digital era calls for trust and transparency as he addressed the inaugural session of the 14th India-France CEO Forum on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit here.

Talking about the summit, the plenary session of which was co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, Jaishankar said, The digital era calls for trust and transparency.

These are indeed shared attributes between us. The summit is a reminder in itself of how much we could be doing in AI, software development and cyber security. 2026 has been designated the India-France year of innovation, the external affairs minister said.

Jaishankar began his address by saying that India and France are two nations with a tradition of independent mindsets.

This has been expressed, at different times, as the third way, as strategic autonomy or as a multi-polar world. But, it is not just that we think similarly. We also actively strive to strengthen each other's position and make our collaboration an important element of contemporary world affairs, he said.

Because our ties are trust-driven and value-based, they have developed a very high level of comfort. That, in turn, allows us to contemplate a broad set of domains for cooperation, including some sensitive ones, he added.

The minister said that the quality of strategic partnership and the term strategic itself today means more than it did before.

The very quality of our partnership, encourages the ambitious nature of our agenda. The more we do with each other, the more we strengthen our own positions. And equally important, help stabilise the global economy in volatile and uncertain times, he said.

Partnerships have a real meaning only when they get translated on the ground. And that responsibility rests largely with business, he said.

Referring to the 'Make in India' initiative, Jaishankar said, We are moving from a buyer-seller phase to greater and deeper collaboration. Even co-designing and co-production."  "The Make in India' initiative has opened many new possibilities in that regard, he added.

Equally, we need to shape the global discourse in this key domain. Only a multipolar world can ensure that AI is developed with the least bias, he added.

Jaishankar said that de-risking the global economy has become even more urgent.

We need more diversified production, resilient and reliable supply chains and deeper business collaborations. India and France can make a difference, including by motivating the rest of the EU, he said.

There are very few places in the world where the infrastructure is changing as rapidly as it is in India today. You see that in railways, airports, highways and ports, the minister said.

Referring to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Jaishankar said it could be a game changer.

It is no accident that later this evening PM Modi and President Macron will be travelling to Marseille. There have been complications in IMEC, but I do want to tell our friends in France and Europe, that there has also been some progress on its eastern end, he said.

As incomes rise in India, lifestyles change accordingly. And we all know that this can be a driver of new demands in a vast range of domains, Jaishankar said.

Modi is scheduled to visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project and the Mazargues War Cemetery to honour Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the World Wars in Marseille before departing for the US on Wednesday for his meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House  Earlier, Jaishankar met his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot here and the leaders discussed wide-ranging cooperation between both countries with a focus on AI, innovation and also on regional and global developments.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, at a briefing held here on the prime minister's visit to France, said the ongoing AI Action Summit has added yet another aspect to the growing India-France strategic partnership.

Modi, who is on a three-day visit to France starting Monday, will also hold bilateral talks with President Macron and address business leaders.