New Delhi (India), July 14 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that India-France relationship is an 'enduring, time-tested partnership' founded on mutual trust, strategic autonomy and shared values, saying the bilateral partnership has evolved into a force for global good spanning defence, technology, innovation, space and culture.

Addressing the French National Day (Bastille Day) celebrations in New Delhi, Sitharaman extended greetings on behalf of the Government and people of India, calling Bastille Day a celebration of the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity that have influenced democracies across the world, including India.

'The partnership between India and France is an enduring partnership built on the foundation of mutual trust, strategic autonomy and shared values,' she said, adding that the relationship is rooted in a shared history dating back to India's freedom movement.

Recalling historical links between the two countries, the Finance Minister noted that Swami Vivekananda spent time in Paris in 1900, while Sri Aurobindo found refuge in French-ruled Puducherry for four decades after escaping colonial persecution. She said these episodes reflected the long-standing friendship and shared commitment to liberty and human dignity.

Highlighting the growing strategic partnership, Sitharaman referred to the decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this year to elevate bilateral ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership. Guided by the Horizon 2047 roadmap, she said both countries are working together towards a secure, sovereign and sustainable future.

She also noted that 2026 is being celebrated as the India-France Year of Innovation, with both leaders jointly inaugurating Bharat Innovates 2026 during Prime Minister Modi's visit to France last month. She said India has transformed from being a technology adopter to becoming a technology provider, while recalling President Macron's remark that the question today is no longer whether India is innovating, but 'who will innovate with India.'

The Finance Minister said bilateral cooperation has expanded well beyond traditional sectors. India's defence partnership with France is increasingly focused on co-design, co-development and co-production of advanced platforms, while the long-standing collaboration between ISRO and France's CNES continues to deepen through climate monitoring missions and human spaceflight initiatives.

Sitharaman said India and France would focus on joint manufacturing, research and innovation, while building resilient supply chains in critical minerals, semiconductors and advanced materials. She added that progress on the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement would further strengthen economic ties and create new opportunities for businesses, researchers and investors from both countries. (ANI)