India and France on Tuesday upgraded the bilateral relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to describe it as a collaboration that knows no boundaries. ADVERTISEMENTAnnouncing this in his statement to the media after a bilateral engagement with French President Emmanuel Macron and his delegation in Mumbai, the Prime Minister added: "This partnership is not just strategic. In today’s age of immense churn, this is a partnership for global stability and progress." Posting the decision to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership on his X handle, Macron said: "In diplomacy, that means a great deal." Stating that France was in favour of transferring more technology to India, Macron advocated strategic autonomy and the need to address hegemonic tendencies.

Source: The Telegraph February 18, 2026 05:07 UTC