Prime Minister's Office Text of Prime Minister’s address during VivaTech 2026 in Paris Posted On: 18 JUN 2026 7:00PM by PIB Delhi Distinguished Guests, Innovators, business leaders, tech enthusiasts, people from the startup world, ladies and gentlemen, नमस्कार। बों जू, I am delighted to be in Paris for the tenth edition of VivaTech. This is Europe’s biggest technology event. I congratulate President Macron and the organisers for the success of Viva Tech. Friends, 2026 is a special year for India and Europe. At the beginning of the year, we concluded the historic India EU Free Trade Agreement. This agreement will expand our trade and investment. And, it will open up many pathways for the exchange of talent, technology and tourism. With the launch of the India-France Year of Innovation this year, France is serving as an important bridge that is bringing the tech eco-systems of India and Europe closer. From Bharat Innovates held a few days ago in Nice, to Viva Tech in Paris today, ur start-ups are forging many new partnerships. Friends, In 2021, when I addressed VivaTech, the world was facing the disruption of COVID-19. Today, the world is experiencing disruptions of other kinds. And I reiterate the message I shared then at VivaTech 2021. Where convention fails, innovation can help. Friends, In the last decade, India has been going through a rapid transformation, that is powered by technology. From creating the world’s largest digital identity system, to the world’s largest/ digital payments platforms. We are using technology at a massive scale for financial inclusion, education, telemedicine, agriculture and more. Consider digital payments. Because of our Unified Payments Interface or UPI, half the world’s real time digital transactions happen in India today. You can now use UPI in France too, at the Eiffel Tower or the Paris Airport.