India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership Established
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
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Partnership Status: BEFORE - India and France operated under a standard Strategic Partnership established in 1998. NOW - The relationship is elevated to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership', indicating deeper alignment on global geopolitical and technological issues.
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Innovation Focus: BEFORE - Bilateral tech cooperation was conducted through regular working groups without a dedicated timeline. NOW - The '2026 India-France Year of Innovation' provides a structured, year-long framework to incubate joint projects in AI and emerging tech.
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Defense Collaboration: BEFORE - The relationship heavily featured off-the-shelf defense purchases with basic technology transfers. NOW - The advanced Defence Industrial Roadmap prioritizes co-design and co-production of military hardware, directly supporting India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the India-France relationship as of February 2026? 1. The bilateral relationship was elevated to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' during the AI Impact Summit 2026. 2. The 'Horizon 2047' roadmap was originally adopted to chart cooperation exclusively in the civil nuclear energy sector.