Visit of Anne Grillo to India [fr]

H.E. Ms Anne Grillo, Director General for Global Affairs, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and G7/G20 Sous-Sherpa, visited New Delhi from 14th to 16th May 2025 and advanced Indo-French cooperation on culture and global commons.

Ms Grillo co-chaired, alongside Dr P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister of India, the Governing Council meeting of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Launched in September 2019 at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, the CDRI is an international coalition of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions. Headquartered in New Delhi, it aims to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure in energy, transport, water, housing, and health to the increasing impacts of climate change. France is co-chairing the organisation with India for the 2024–2026 term.

On this occasion, Ms Grillo stated: “France is proud to have co-chaired the CDRI since 2024. Climate change is a reality all over the world. If we build ill-adapted infrastructure today, we are putting our future at risk. France is continuing its commitment to global action by hosting the CDRI’s international conference on 6th and 7th June, on the sidelines of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) being held in Nice, France.”

Ms Grillo visited the French Institute in India, the Lycée Français International de Delhi, and the Alliance Française de Delhi. She highlighted Indo-French synergies and interacted with participants of the We are the Ocean festival, an ambitious forum of ideas organized by the French Institute in India, the Alliance Française of Delhi, and the French Development Agency, in the run-up to the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3).

During her visit, Ms Grillo held bilateral meetings with several senior Indian officials: Mr Suman Bery, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, Mr Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations) at the Ministry of External Affairs; Mr Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa to Prime Minister; and Mr Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture. These discussions focused on bilateral cooperation in global governance, climate, culture, education, energy transition, and preparations for the India-France Year of Innovation in 2026. Discussions also addressed the upcoming multilateral agenda which includes UNOC-3, the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, COP30 in Belém, and the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, as well as French G7 Presidency in 2026.

Ms Grillo also co-chaired the Indo-French steering committee for the project of India’s future national museum, together with Mr Vivek Aggarwal. This ambitious project, entitled Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum, aims to transform the historic North and South Blocks of New Delhi into a world-class museum retracing 5,000 years of Indian history. With a planned surface area of 155,000 m², it is among the largest ongoing museum projects globally. France was invited to share its expertise as exemplified in several outstanding projects such as the Grand Louvre, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Grand Palais. A Letter of Intent on the New National Museum and Cooperation in Museology, which underscores museum and heritage cooperation, was signed in January 2020. France Muséums Développement (FMD), identified as the reference partner on the French side, is conducting a full feasibility study covering strategy, architecture, audiences, functional needs, and museographic practices. This mission will continue throughout 2025.

Ms Grillo concluded her visit with a speech at the France Alumni Day 2025 event in Delhi, marking the third edition of this initiative in India. The event brought together numerous Indian alumni who studied in France, along with representatives of French companies operating in India. This year’s edition focused on the challenges and drivers for women’s employment and access to leadership positions. It provided an opportunity to highlight the journeys of alumni engaged on these issues and exchange best practices to be implemented.