India, France need to expand areas of collaboration: Piyush Goal

India and France should strive to expand collaboration beyond aerospace, defence and energy to areas like agriculture and food processing, electric mobility etc to realise the full potential of bilateral cooperation, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has said.

The two nations can expand cooperation in agriculture and food processing and help ensure global food security using innovative sustainable practices, Goyal said.

The minister was addressing the Asia Pacific Agriculture Commission (APAC) 2024 Forum organised by the French Foreign Trade Advisors in New Delhi on Wednesday. 

There is a huge potential for partnerships in renewable energy under the International Solar Alliance, which has over 100 members at present, Goyal pointed out.

The two nations can upgrade and expand existing partnerships in aerospace and defence with India itself emerging as one of the biggest aviation markets globally, he said.

India and France can collaborate to create innovative and sustainable automotive and electric mobility solutions so as to make it affordable and attractive, he said.

He further stated that the use of sustainable practices can have a mitigating effect on climate change and its emerging adverse impact across the world.

He said, the two countries should tray to extend collaboration in the area of clean energy to emerging and less developed countries.

In the aerospace sector, the minister said that India today offers one of the largest aviation market with huge demand for aircraft and new airports coming up across the country.

Even in the defence sector, Goyal said, there is ample scope for expanding cooperation as India now allows 100 per cent FDI in defence projects.

In the automotive and electric mobility sectors, Goyal said the adoption of innovative and sustainable solutions will expand the scope of partnership.

Besides, he said, the two countries can collaborate in areas like digital technology, cybersecurity, AI, e-commerce and quantum technologies, adding that this could lead to joint projects in IT, healthcare, renewable energy and smart cities.