Nice, a Mediterranean city in southeastern France, was chosen by India’s Ministry of Education to host the Bharat Innovates summit from June 14 to 16. In the first time the event was held outside India, it brought together more than 120 Indian start-ups alongside French and European innovation actors.
Inaugurated one day before the beginning of the G-7 summit in Évian, the gathering also provided an opportunity for French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet once again. It was Modi’s eighth visit to France since taking office, underscoring the remarkable momentum of the France-India partnership. The program of this visit – focused on innovation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies – illustrated how far bilateral relations have evolved beyond their traditional strategic and defense foundations.
Meetings between French and Indian leaders have become routine. What made this one noteworthy was its location. Why Nice?
France’s fifth-largest city is increasingly serving as a diplomatic showcase. Nice offers an attractive combination of international visibility, Mediterranean splendor, and a degree of distance from the formalism associated with the French capital.
