French Minister Delegate for Ecological Transition Mathieu Lefèvre is undertaking a two-day official visit to India from November 2 to 3, 2026, to participate in the Ninth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly in New Delhi. The visit is expected to strengthen cooperation between India and France in renewable energy, climate action and sustainable development.
Lefèvre will co-chair the ISA Assembly alongside Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. The inauguration ceremony on November 2 will take place at Bharat Mandapam in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The French minister is also scheduled to address the Assembly’s plenary session on November 3.
During his visit, Lefèvre is expected to hold discussions with Pralhad Joshi and Ashish Khanna, Director General of the International Solar Alliance. He will also meet Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to discuss shared priorities ahead of the upcoming COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye. Their discussions are expected to cover climate policy, environmental protection, biodiversity and ongoing India-France cooperation.
An important objective of the French minister’s visit is to seek another two-year term for France as co-president of the International Solar Alliance. France has outlined four priorities for its proposed term, including strengthening technical and institutional capabilities in developing countries, improving access to financial resources, expanding the international presence of the ISA Secretariat and diversifying critical mineral supply chains to reduce global dependencies.
France has contributed to several ISA initiatives, including €1.3 million for the STAR-C Programme, which supports capacity-building across 17 countries. It has also provided €150,000 to the Africa Solar Facility and an additional €150,000 in voluntary contributions to the ISA Secretariat.
The Ninth ISA Assembly is being organised alongside the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 and the Fourth International Conference on Green Hydrogen 2026. These events are expected to bring together international representatives, policymakers and industry stakeholders to discuss renewable energy deployment and emerging clean-energy technologies.
Established through an initiative jointly led by India and France during the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), the International Solar Alliance aims to accelerate the global adoption of solar energy. The organisation currently has 130 member and signatory countries, providing a platform for international cooperation on energy access, energy security and the transition towards cleaner energy sources.
Lefèvre’s visit highlights the growing role of India-France cooperation beyond traditional areas such as defence, aerospace and strategic security. Both countries are also working together on climate action, renewable energy and emerging technologies under their broader bilateral partnership.