25 January 2016: During an official visit to India, French President Francois Hollande discussed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the commitment of the two countries to address clean and sustainable development, climate change, the International Solar Alliance, sustainable consumption and production patterns, renewable energy and energy efficiency, sustainable urban development and transport.

During the meeting, the first between the leaders since the Paris Climate Change Conference in December 2015, President Hollande thanked India and Prime Minister Modi for playing an “important and proactive role” in the climate negotiations in Paris. In a France-India joint statement, which was adopted at the end of the meeting, the two countries agree to continue working together and with the global community towards realizing the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The two leaders also participated in the foundation laying ceremony of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which France and India launched on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Change Conference. The Alliance, which will be headquartered Gurgaon, will bring together countries with lots of sunshine to better harness the sun’s power and work as a “lifeline for people facing the brunt of climate change.”

In the joint statement, the two leaders underscore the importance of deepening cooperation in research, development, financing, technology, diffusion of clean energy and efficiency solutions that will help in promote energy access. To support solar projects launched by ISA members, the French Development Agency (AFD) will provide 30 million Euros. Modi, in a statement delivered during the ceremony, also mentioned ‘Mission Innovation,’ also launched in Paris, which aims to make clean energy more easily accessible for people through technology innovations.

The joint statement also welcomes agreements between the two countries on energy storage to promote renewable energies, emphasizes the importance of climate-oriented energy investments, points to cooperation on energy efficiency in India, and describes French support for green housing construction, especially for lower income groups.

On sustainable urban development, the two countries will collaborate in financing projects related to urban water and sanitation in Puducherry, and partnerships between Engineering Projects India Limited and nine French companies will contribute to major infrastructure projects in India. The joint statement also points to a number of cooperative agreements related to clean transport. [Press Release of French Government] [Press Release of Indian Government]