India and France advanced their AI partnership at the La French Tech India Summit 2025 in Bengaluru, focusing on ethical, inclusive, and people-centric AI. The event laid the foundation for joint innovation, governance, and the upcoming Year of Innovation 2026.
On June 5, 2025, Bengaluru hosted the La French Tech India AI Summit at the Bangalore International Centre, a landmark event in global AI diplomacy. This gathering united policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators from India and France to advance a shared commitment to ethical, inclusive, and democratic artificial intelligence (AI). Far from a routine conference, the summit laid a robust foundation for sustained Indo-French collaboration, ensuring AI serves the public good while fostering innovation.
A Milestone in India-France AI Partnership
Organized by La French Tech India, in collaboration with the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI), Business France, the Consulate General of France in Bangalore, and French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEF), the summit underscored the deepening trust between India and France in frontier technologies. Over 250 stakeholders—spanning government, startups, academia, and private enterprises—convened, forming a dynamic coalition to drive collaborative AI innovation.
This event builds on the India-France Joint Declaration on AI (February 2025), which outlined a roadmap for international cooperation in AI norms, research, and standards. The summit translated this vision into actionable dialogue, reinforcing Bengaluru’s status as a global hub for responsible AI development.
Championing Ethical and People-Centric AI
At its core, the summit emphasized AI development grounded in ethics, inclusivity, and democratic values. Key objectives included:
Promoting AI that upholds transparency and fairness
Mitigating algorithmic bias to ensure equitable outcomes
Prioritizing public-interest AI over profit-driven models
Scaling solutions tailored to diverse global populations
These priorities resonate with the global call for responsible AI, positioning India and France as leaders in crafting governance frameworks that balance innovation with societal impact.
Thought Leadership Driving the Conversation
The summit featured insights from prominent figures across sectors:
Clara Chappaz, France’s Minister of State for Digital Affairs (via video), emphasized the critical role of cross-border partnerships in deploying responsible AI.
Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister for IT and Biotechnology, highlighted Bengaluru’s leadership in ethical AI and welcomed stronger Indo-French ties.
Sharad Sharma, Co-founder of iSPIRT, advocated for an inclusive, interoperable AI framework tailored to local needs.
Additional perspectives came from industry leaders at Jio Platforms, Michelin Innovation Lab, Capgemini, My DataMachine, AI Foundry, and Thales, ensuring a balanced dialogue between public policy and private innovation.
Navigating AI Ethics and Governance
The summit’s second half delved into the complexities of AI ethics and governance. Key discussions included:
Building Trust in AI Systems: Hari Subramanian (NitiAI/iSPIRT) led a session on fostering reliability and accountability in AI deployment.
Media’s Role in AI Awareness: Mehak Kasbekar (Brut India) explored how media can shape public understanding of AI.
AI and Public Policy: Moderated by Rajesh Desai (Lyra India), a panel with experts from Aapti Institute, QpiAI, OVH, and others examined the intersection of AI and governance.
The consensus was clear: as AI integrates into daily life, ethical frameworks and shared governance models must be established early to safeguard public trust.
A Global AI Leadership Model
France, ranked third globally in AI research and home to innovators like Mistral AI, Hugging Face, and Dataiku, brings cutting-edge expertise. India complements this with:
Unparalleled digital scale
A thriving startup ecosystem
World-class engineering talent
A robust policy framework supporting Digital Public Infrastructure
Together, the two nations propose a compelling alternative to U.S.- and China-led AI models—a “third path” rooted in openness, accessibility, and social good. This partnership offers a scalable model for other democracies seeking to harmonize innovation with human rights.
Paving the Way for India-France Year of Innovation 2026
The summit sets the stage for the India-France Year of Innovation in 2026, which will deepen collaboration in:
AI research and model development
Startup funding and ecosystem exchanges
Co-creation of AI solutions for healthcare, education, and sustainability
As Souad Tenfiche, Co-Chair of La French Tech India and CEO of Link Innovations, eloquently stated: “AI will shape our future. The question is: who shapes AI? India and France are answering with a vision of trust, openness, and shared prosperity.”
The La French Tech India AI Summit 2025 was more than a milestone—it was a catalyst for transformative collaboration. By fostering joint AI model training, cross-border data exchange, and mutual standards, the summit created tangible opportunities for startups, researchers, and policymakers. It also introduced a replicable framework for inclusive AI governance, offering a blueprint for global adoption.
For developers, investors, and policymakers, the message is clear: ethical AI is not a constraint but a competitive advantage. By prioritizing trust and inclusivity, India and France are poised to lead the next wave of global AI innovation, ensuring technology serves humanity’s highest aspirations.
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