Jitendra Singh holds bilateral talks with French minister on higher education, space

The video conference saw the two ministers focusing on strengthening partnerships between the Department of Science and Technology and leading French organisations.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday held bilateral talks with Philippe Baptiste, France's minister for higher education, research and space, to review India-France cooperation in science, technology, and space. The video conference saw the two ministers focusing on strengthening partnerships between the Department of Science and Technology and leading French organisations. In a statement, Singh said, ''India-France engagement in science and space has evolved into a strong pillar of bilateral relations, contributing to both technological advancement and closer people-to-people connect.'' He added, ''The declaration of 2026 as the Indo-French Year of Innovation offers a significant opportunity to scale up collaboration in emerging areas.'' Meanwhile, Baptiste described India as a key and trusted partner in space and research cooperation, and proposed an enhanced collaboration in ocean-related data sharing through the Space for Ocean Alliance. The French minister also invited India to participate in the International Space Summit, to be held in Paris in September 2026, suggesting alignment with India's Bengaluru space event to create a coordinated global platform for space discussions.