Overview
The Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (OPSA) to the Government of India, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Consulate General of France in Bengaluru, organized the Third India–France AI Policy Roundtable on 7 November, 2025 at IISc Bengaluru. This event served as a pre-summit activity for the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026, which will be hosted by India.
Key Developments
Focus Areas
- The roundtable aimed to advance collaboration across key pillars: AI infrastructure, industry partnerships, research cooperation, and responsible AI governance.
- The discussions aligned with the shared vision of equitable access to AI resources and inclusive innovation.
Leadership and Participation
- The session was co-chaired by Her Excellency Ms. Anne Bouverot, Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for Artificial Intelligence, and Shri Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
- Representatives from government, industry, startups, and academia from both countries participated, offering diverse perspectives on strengthening bilateral cooperation in AI.
Strategic Importance
- The roundtable emphasized that India’s AI ecosystem, anchored in digital public infrastructure, a vibrant startup network, and strong academic institutions, offers a scalable platform for co-development and innovation with French partners.
- The French delegation underlined its commitment to responsible, human-centric AI development and the importance of industrial cooperation in expanding access to AI resources and compute capacity.
Exam Relevance
GS Paper Alignment
This event is relevant to GS2 (International Relations) and GS3 (Science and Technology, Economy). It highlights international cooperation in emerging technologies and the development of AI ecosystems.
Potential Exam Questions
- Discuss the significance of India-France cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
- Evaluate the role of digital public infrastructure in promoting AI innovation in India.
- Analyze the ethical considerations in AI development and governance, particularly in the context of international collaborations.
Key Participants
The roundtable included participation from various stakeholders:
- Government: Dr. Preeti Banzal (OPSA), Mr. Marc Lamy (Consul General of France), representatives from MeitY.
- Industry: Mr. Emilien Coquard (The Scalers), Mr. Ankush Sabharwal (CoRover and BharatGPT), Mr. Alexandre Correia (Sopra Steria), Mr. Rajgopal A. S. (NxtGen Cloud Technologies), Mr. Vikram Balakrishna (Atos), Mr. Ashish Tewari (Infosys).
- Academia: Dr. Jyoti Joshi (Kroop.ai, Monash University), Dr. Mayank Vatsa (IIT Jodhpur), Dr. Danish Pruthi (IISc).
Future Implications
The roundtable discussions will provide valuable insights for the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026 and the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, fostering continued collaboration and innovation in the field of Artificial Intelligence.