Innovation is a Driving Force in Indo–French Ties

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 hosted by Paris in February 2025, this cross-cutting initiative reflects a joint vision of President Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi: the pursuit of innovation in its broadest sense, spanning the technological, industrial, social, environmental, cultural and artistic dimensions of the Indo-French relationship.

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 high-impact areas where Indo–French collaboration matters most: cultural and creative industries, aerospace, health, food and well-being, sustainable development and energy transition.

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 seabed to space, from code poetry to digital healthcare, from sustainable ecosystems to new forms of storytelling, every spark of innovation contributes to a shared constellation of ideas.

The first event of the year 2026 will be The Future of Books, a first-of-its kind initiative jointly developed by the cultural department of the Embassy of France in India, France Livre – The French Publishing Network, and the platform Publishing Next. This professional programme, bringing together key French and Indian players, will take place alongside three leading events in the Indian publishing calendar: the New Delhi World Book Fair, the Chennai International Book Fair and Jaipur Bookmark.

At the heart of The Future of Books lies a shared conviction that France and India have much to gain from deepening their longstanding cooperation in the fields of books and ideas. France’s internationally recognised leadership in trailblazing book policies, forward-looking initiatives to nurture a diverse book ecosystem, and a dynamic publishing scene with French writers recognized internationally, have long nurtured meaningful partnerships with India’s dynamic book market and growing literary festivals’ scene.

This programme seeks to take this relationship further by fostering collaboration across the entire publishing ecosystem and addressing key issues shaping the sector’s future: from cultural policies to the advent of artificial intelligence in publishing, from the craze for audiovisual adaptations to the global rise of comics, webtoons and IPs, from sustainable practices in publishing to innovative approaches in the book industry.

I warmly invite professionals from across the book sector — publishers, translators, literary agents, booksellers, festival organisers, and other industry stakeholders — to join The Future of Books, which will mark a new chapter in the publishing dialogue between France and India.

Thierry Mathou
– Ambassador of France to India