Direct Flights: A Matter of Time?

The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the French Riviera, which took place on 13-14 June, could result in not only diplomatic success for the region, but also tangible economic dividends. Following this eighth visit by the Indian leader, local authorities have started talking about launching direct flights to India, attracting technological investments, and expanding academic cooperation.

✈️ Direct Flights: A Matter of Time?

Mayor of Nice, Eric Ciotti, who personally welcomed Prime Minister Modi at Nice Airport, expressed his intention to launch direct flights between India and Nice. He called this visit “historic” and emphasized that Nice is open to talents, investors, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

“It was a private meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it gave me the opportunity to thank him for choosing Nice. He feels at home here. Indians are always welcome in our city,” Ciotti wrote on the X social network. The introduction of a direct flight between India and Nice would significantly simplify logistics for tourists, businessmen, and students, which is a key step in strengthening ties. The mayor also noted that Nice is “open to the world, open to talents, investors, entrepreneurs, and to all who want to build future partnerships.”

💼 Investments and Technologies: A New Vector for the French Riviera

Modi’s visit, preceding the G7 summit in Evian, focused on deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries. A key event was the opening of the exhibition “Bharat Innovates 2026” at the Nice Exhibition Centre, which became the first Indian technological exhibition of such scale outside India.

The exhibition, held from 14 to 16 June, featured 120 Indian deep-tech startups, over 20 advanced experience institutions, and more than 350 global investors. The event covered 13 key technological directions, including artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, space technologies, biotechnology, and “green” energy.

French President Emmanuel Macron, also present at the opening, said: “The question is not whether India innovates, but who will innovate together with India.” He urged to see India as a “very large country of innovations, creating breakthrough models and becoming indispensable.”

🎓 Academic Cooperation: AI, “Digital Health,” and Quantum Technologies

The University of the French Riviera (Université Côte d’Azur) is actively developing cooperation with Indian universities. As part of “Bharat Innovates,” the university hosted a delegation from 15 prestigious Indian technological institutes (IIT). Special attention was paid to artificial intelligence: representatives of Indian AI clusters visited the research centre Inria and the Sophia Antipolis technopark.

In addition, more than 30 partnership agreements were signed during the visit, including 16 with global corporations and 13 between French universities and 11 Indian institutes (IIT and IISc). The parties also adopted the “Indo-French Innovation Roadmap 2030” and established a joint working group on AI. Another important outcome was the expansion of the use of the Indian UPI (Unified Payments Interface) platform in France, including at Nice Airport.

🚀 Results and Prospects

Modi’s visit to Nice was a significant milestone in the relationship between India and France. Following the negotiations, the leaders of the two countries announced their intention to double bilateral trade from the current $16 billion to $32 billion within five years.

For the French Riviera, this cooperation opens up new horizons: from the influx of Indian tourists and students to the hosting of technological companies and research centres. As the mayor of Nice emphasized, the city is ready to become a key player in this dialogue between great powers.