Mumbai Bilans d’évènement  •  Communication - Presse

French Companies in India Put Global Capability Centres at the Centre of the India-France Business Agenda at IFCCI’s 49th AGM

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 30: The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) convened its 49th Annual General Meeting (ACM) in Mumbai, in the presence of H.E. Mr Philippe Baptiste, French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space, and H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India.

Held under the theme "Driving Innovation for Global Impact" at the St. Regis Hotel, the ACM brought together more than 400 senior business leaders, government officials and diplomats to discuss how innovation and Global Capability Centres (CCCs) are reshaping the economic ties between the two countries.
 

In his keynote address, H.E. Mr Philippe Baptiste, French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space, said: "This year, we have moved from high-level
commitments to concrete outcomes, from the inauguration of the Indo-French Centre for Al in Health at AIIMS, New Delhi, to new partnerships between Paris-
Saclay University and IIT Bombay for dual degrees and joint research. In February, during President Macron's visit to India, we elevated our relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership, a vision in which innovation becomes the lever of our shared objectives. India and France share a common ambition: to become leaders in sovereign innovation, capable of addressing global challenges such as climate change, health and digital security."
 

Addressing the gathering, H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said: "France and India share an economic partnership anchored in innovation,
technology and entrepreneurship. Businesses from both countries are working together across an ever-wider range of sectors, from advanced manufacturing and
energy to technology and services, illustrating the strengthening of our cooperation. What stands out most is how this cooperation has developed a strong
foundation in trade and investment for co-development, with French and Indian companies designing products, technologies and solutions together. Building of
the achievements of the India-France Year of Innovation, I am confident this relationship will grow in both reach and ambition in the years ahead. The
upcoming signing of the EU-India FTA will deliver unprecedented opportunities to deepen this economic relationship even further."

The AGM's statutory proceedings saw Mr Sanjay Singh, IFCCI Treasurer and CEO & Head of Territory, BNP Paribas India, present the Chamber's financial performance for the year, followed by the announcement of IFCCl's newly elected Governing Council. Welcoming members, Mr Jean Touboul, President of IFCCI and CEO of Pernod Ricard India, set out the Chamber's priorities for the year ahead. "This year's 49th ACM brought the Indo-French business community together at a time when its appetite for collaboration is stronger than I have seen in years. Businesses are also watching the EU-India FTA closely, and once signed, it could give the community another meaningful lever to expand trade and investment. All of this comes just a year before IFCCI turns 50, and the community we represent is approaching that milestone with real momentum," said Mr Jean Touboul, President, IFCCI and CEO Pernod Ricard.

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