France Current Affairs — Last 12 months | Daily News + MCQs

INS Trishul takes part in 24th India–France naval exercise Varuna at Toulon

INS Trishul reached Toulon, France, on 22 September 2026 for the 24th edition of Varuna, the annual bilateral maritime exercise of the Indian and French navies (reported 1 October 2026).

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🔬 Space 📍 India Important

India–France space cooperation to focus on human spaceflight, start-ups and New Space, says Jitendra Singh

On 28 September 2026 a delegation led by French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste met MoS Jitendra Singh in New Delhi to widen space cooperation.

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🛡️ Military Exercises 📍 Rajasthan Must know

Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 opens at Jodhpur with seven partner air forces under the theme 'Power in Partnership'

The second edition of the IAF's multilateral air exercise Tarang Shakti was inaugurated at Air Force Station Jodhpur on 26 September 2026 and runs until 12 October, with air forces of seven friendly foreign countries.

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🛡️ Military Exercises 📍 France Important

INS Trishul arrives at Toulon, France, for the 24th edition of Exercise VARUNA

On 22 September 2026, INS Trishul arrived at Toulon, France, to take part in the 24th edition of VARUNA, the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy.

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🔬 Space 📍 India Must know

PM Modi addresses the first International Space Summit in Paris via video conference

On 10 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the first International Space Summit in Paris, hosted at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, by video conference.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 France Important

PM Modi addresses inauguration of BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris

On 6 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris by video conference, calling it a new milestone in India–France cultural relations.

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🔬 Space 📍 France Important

India and France discuss Paris Space Summit and Bengaluru Space Expo

On 4 September 2026, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and French Minister Philippe Baptiste held a virtual meeting on deepening space cooperation ahead of the International Space Summit in Paris.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 France Important

Sitharaman and Roland Lescure co-chair India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue in Aix-en-Provence

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and French Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure co-chaired the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue in Aix-en-Provence on 3 July 2026, discussing critical minerals, cross-investment and high-speed rail.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 France Must know

PM Modi and President Macron attend VivaTech 2026 in Paris, with India as AI Country Partner

On 18 June 2026 in Paris, PM Narendra Modi, accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron, took part in VivaTech 2026, where India is the AI Country Partner.

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🌐 International Organisations 📍 France Must know

PM Modi at G7 Summit in Evian: meets President Trump, sets out four AI suggestions

On 17 June 2026 at the G7 Summit in Evian, France, PM Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump and addressed the outreach session on the safe, rapid and efficient rollout of Artificial Intelligence.

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🌐 International Organisations 📍 France Must know

PM Modi at G7 Evian: meets Canada's Mark Carney, addresses session on new partnerships

On 16 June 2026 at the G7 Summit in Evian, France, PM Narendra Modi met Canadian PM Mark Carney and addressed the outreach session 'Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity'.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 France

India and France review science and space cooperation in the Indo-French Year of Innovation

On 7 May 2026 Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh held a video meeting with France's Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste, who proposed closer cooperation in human spaceflight, as both sides noted 2026 is the Indo-French Year of Innovation.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 France Important

PM Modi and President Macron discuss West Asia, agree on restoring freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron on 16 April 2026, and the two leaders agreed on the urgent need to restore safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

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🌟 Persons in News 📍 France

Emmanuel Grégoire elected Mayor of Paris, succeeding Anne Hidalgo

On 29 March 2026 the Paris city council elected Emmanuel Grégoire as Mayor of Paris with 103 votes, succeeding Anne Hidalgo.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 India Important

PM Modi speaks to leaders of France, Malaysia, Oman, Jordan and Qatar on West Asia

On 19 March 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi held phone conversations with France's President Macron, Malaysia's PM Anwar Ibrahim, Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim, calling for de-escalation in West Asia.

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🌐 Agreements & MoUs 📍 India Important

India and France sign Amending Protocol to their 1992 Double Taxation Avoidance Convention

India and France signed a Protocol amending their Double Taxation Avoidance Convention of 29 September 1992, the Finance Ministry announced on 23 February 2026, giving full capital-gains taxing rights to the country where a company is resident and deleting the MFN clause.

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🔬 Health & Medicine 📍 Delhi Important

Nadda and Macron inaugurate Indo-French Centre for AI in Health at AIIMS New Delhi

Health Minister J. P. Nadda and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health (IF-CAIH) at AIIMS, New Delhi, on 18 February 2026.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 Maharashtra Must know

India and France elevate ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership; Modi and Macron launch Year of Innovation in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron elevated India–France relations to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' and jointly inaugurated the 2026 India–France Year of Innovation in Mumbai on 17 February 2026.

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📋 Central Schemes 📍 Uttar Pradesh Important

PM announces India–France National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics at NSTI Kanpur under PM-SETU

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics and Defence at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Kanpur, with France, during the joint press statement with President Macron in Mumbai on 17 February 2026.

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🛡️ Defence & Security 📍 Karnataka Important

Rajnath Singh and Catherine Vautrin co-chair 6th India–France Annual Defence Dialogue; defence pact renewed for 10 years

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin co-chaired the 6th India–France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on 17 February 2026.

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🛡️ Defence & Security 📍 Karnataka Important

Modi and Macron virtually inaugurate H125 helicopter final assembly line at Vemagal, Karnataka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron virtually inaugurated, from Mumbai, the Tata Advanced Systems final assembly line of the Airbus H125 light utility helicopter at Vemagal, Karnataka, on 17 February 2026.

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🛡️ Defence & Security 📍 India Important

INS Sudarshini sets sail on Lokayan 26 expedition from Kochi

The Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini was flagged off from Kochi on 20 January 2026 for Lokayan 26, a ten-month transoceanic expedition covering about 22,000 nautical miles.

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🛡️ Defence & Security 📍 India

India Optel signs pact with Safran to make SIGMA 30N navigation system and CM3-MR sight in India

India Optel Limited signed a collaboration agreement with France's Safran Electronics & Defense in New Delhi on 22 December 2025 for transfer of production of the SIGMA 30N inertial navigation system and the CM3-MR direct firing sight.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 India Important

DRDO and France's DGA sign Technical Agreement on defence R&D

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and France's Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) signed a Technical Agreement at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi on 20 November 2025 to deepen collaboration in defence research and development.

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🛡️ Military Exercises 📍 India Important

IAF joins French Air and Space Force for Exercise Garuda 25 in France

The Indian Air Force is taking part in the 8th edition of the bilateral air exercise Garuda 25 with the French Air and Space Force at Mont-de-Marsan, France from 16 to 27 November 2025, the Defence Ministry said on 15 November 2025.

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🌐 International Organisations 📍 France

India re-elected Vice-Chair of COP10 Bureau of the anti-doping convention

India was re-elected Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau for the Asia-Pacific group at the 10th Conference of Parties to the International Convention against Doping in Sport, held at UNESCO Paris on 20–22 October 2025.

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