Macron Greets PM Modi and Indians on 79th Independence Day

August 15, 2025

New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday congratulated “friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on the country’s 79th Independence Day, expressing hope that the strategic partnership between both nations will deepen towards 2047 and beyond.

“Warm congratulations to the people of India on your 79th Independence Day! I fondly recall welcoming my friend Narendra Modi to France in February, and look forward to deepening our strategic partnership towards 2047 and beyond,” Macron posted on X.

French Foreign Minister Reaffirms Strong Ties

Last month, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot had highlighted that France and India are united by trust and driven by shared ambition.

“Let’s keep building our strategic partnership!” Barrot wrote while thanking External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar for his greetings to the French government and people of France on the country’s National Day on July 14.

Recent High-Level Engagements Strengthen Partnership

Reaffirming the robust and long-standing strategic partnership between India and France, EAM Jaishankar visited Paris in June — a trip that came within four months of Prime Minister Modi’s landmark visit to France for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit.

Discussions reflected the deep trust, comfort, and shared ambition that characterize India-France ties, with both sides committed to fully implementing the Horizon 2047 Roadmap and the Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed between Macron and Modi.

Horizon 2047 Roadmap: Vision for the Future

The roadmap charts the course for bilateral relations up to 2047, marking the centenary of India’s independence, the centenary of diplomatic relations, and 50 years of the strategic partnership.

Expanding Cooperation Across Sectors

Both nations have expressed satisfaction with progress in emerging sectors such as technology, innovation, trade, investment, health, life sciences, education, talent mobility, museum cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges, while exploring new avenues for deeper ties.

Upcoming India-France Year of Innovation

New Delhi and Paris are preparing to celebrate the India-France Year of Innovation next year, an initiative expected to add another dimension to the dynamic bilateral relationship.