Om Birla Says France Remains One of India’s Most Trusted Partners, Calls for Deeper Parliamentary Cooperation

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday described France as one of India’s most trusted and friendly partners, underlining the depth and durability of ties between the two countries during a meeting with the France–India Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Senate of France at Parliament House in New Delhi. He said the strong personal rapport between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron has given fresh momentum to bilateral relations.

Birla said the recent elevation of India-France ties to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership,” following President Macron’s visit to India in February 2026, reflects growing mutual trust and expanding cooperation across sectors. He stressed that parliamentary exchanges are an important pillar of the wider strategic relationship and recalled the February 2024 visit to India by French Senate Chairman Gérard Larcher as another important milestone in inter-parliamentary engagement.

Highlighting democratic representation and inclusive governance, the Lok Sabha Speaker noted that women account for more than 36 per cent of the French Parliament. He added that India too has been pushing legislative and institutional reforms to expand women’s participation in public life. Birla said the first Bill passed in the new Parliament House was the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides for one-third reservation for women in elected legislative bodies, describing it as a major step in India’s commitment to women-led development.

Birla also pointed to the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital tools in modern legislatures. Referring to AI summits held in Paris in 2025 and New Delhi in 2026, he said India and France are increasingly using advanced technologies to improve parliamentary efficiency, transparency and public outreach. According to him, the adoption of AI has helped narrow the gap between citizens and Parliament, and he suggested that both countries deepen cooperation and exchange best practices in this area.

He further welcomed the regular diplomatic and parliamentary dialogue between New Delhi and Paris, and thanked France for its support to India, including its condemnation of terrorism after Operation Sindoor last year. The meeting, he said, reflected the continuing strength of the India-France partnership and the shared intent to expand cooperation through closer legislative engagement.

source: PIB