Towards a Franco-Indian alliance based on shared principles for artificial intelligence, a strategic imperative to shape global AI governance.

By Laurie-Anne Ancenys and Ahmed Baladi

Introduction

In 2025, 73% of foundation AI models originated in the United States and 15% in China, leaving the rest of the world with little more than the role of spectator or captive market. For France and India, this imbalance is not merely technological—it is normative. Those who design the models effectively set the rules of the game, as the pace of technological development far exceeds that of the law. Yet in both India and France, artificial intelligence (AI) is already deployed across numerous critical sectors, participating in or guiding decision-making processes that affect fundamental rights and strategic interests. No state can address this technological and legal challenge alone.

It is precisely to contribute to this reflection that the France India AI Initiative undertook an in-depth analytical effort, bringing together more than sixty French and Indian experts from the legal, academic, industrial, healthcare, and public sectors.

As part of the White Paper developed by the France India AI Initiative, led by the France-Asia Foundation, our working group produced a comprehensive analysis of the regulatory and technical challenges surrounding AI governance. The findings reveal that states regulate AI in highly contrasting ways and according to fundamentally different philosophies. The European Union, through Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of 13 June 2024 (the “AI Act”) [1], has chosen a horizontal regulatory framework based on a risk-based approach. However, its complexity and regulatory density have raised concerns regarding competitiveness and innovation.

India has adopted a principles-based approach, explicitly prioritizing innovation and adoption over prescriptive ex ante regulation. The United Kingdom relies on agile, sector-specific, and non-statutory regulation. Singapore, for its part, has developed a voluntary governance framework structured around nine dimensions. The United States presents a fragmented landscape, characterized by the absence of a coherent federal framework and the emergence of heterogeneous state-level regulations [2]. Finally, China has adopted a targeted approach focused on specific technologies, including generative AI, deepfakes, and algorithmic recommendation systems. The result is a fragmented AI regulatory landscape composed of overlapping and complex frameworks that remain far from harmonized.

Against this backdrop of regulatory fragmentation, Franco-Indian cooperation on AI—formalized through the Horizon 2047 Roadmap [3], the Joint Declaration on Artificial Intelligence of 12 February 2025, and now concretized through the France India AI Initiative White Paper of February 2026 [4]—appears as a strategic alignment with considerable potential.

France contributes recognized expertise in research, regulation, evaluation, and ethics, as well as high-value industrial sectors such as healthcare, mobility, and energy. India stands out through its capacity for large-scale deployment, an unparalleled pool of engineering and technical talent, and a public digital infrastructure dynamic that is profoundly transforming the conditions for technological adoption. Stanford University ranked India third globally in its 2024 AI Vibrancy Index, behind only the United States and China. These complementarities create a natural space for cooperation, bridging innovation and implementation, trusted frameworks and measurable impact.

The roadmap for Franco-Indian cooperation that we propose is structured around three pillars. First, implementing Franco-Indian governance mechanisms to foster intergovernmental normative convergence in AI (I). Second, jointly developing a common grammar for trustworthy AI (II). Finally, aligning regulatory sandbox mechanisms at the global level to support safe and controlled experimentation (III).

I. Franco-Indian governance as a driver of intergovernmental normative convergence in AI

The implementation of Franco-Indian governance mechanisms in AI can foster normative convergence in this field. This observation is grounded in the complementarity of both countries’ strengths and in their shared diplomatic leadership. From the creation of the Global Partnership on AI to the co-chairing of the AI Action Summit in 2025, France and India have worked hand in hand to build more robust, inclusive, and effective AI governance.

This moment is all the more strategic as France holds the G7 Presidency in 2026 while India chairs the BRICS. Both countries are also pioneers, each in its own way, in deploying AI technologies for the public good. Through the PM-Kisan [5] programme, India has used AI since 2019 to automate the allocation of agricultural support to millions of farmers, demonstrating how AI can improve administrative efficiency, reduce errors, and strengthen social equity. France, through the Current AI initiative [6]—an international €400 million programme dedicated to AI for the public good—has emphasized the need to align AI innovation with societal benefit and international cooperation.

In this context, France and India have every interest in joining forces as co-architects of international AI governance and promoting a coherent set of shared principles. Such an alliance would not seek to impose regulatory uniformity but rather to encourage convergence based on the compatibility of legal frameworks.

As highlighted in the White Paper, successful cooperation does not require regulatory uniformity. It can instead be grounded in shared principles, mutual recognition of ethical imperatives, and a common commitment to harnessing AI for the benefit of society.

Such convergence offers immediate strategic value. By aligning their systems around principles recognized as essential to trustworthy AI, states can reduce regulatory friction and facilitate their companies’ access to foreign markets.

This approach could also accelerate the cross-border deployment of technologies while enhancing attractiveness for international investment. At a time when companies within the European Union capture only 6% of global AI funding, such an alliance represents a tangible pathway toward a credible strategic alternative to Sino-American dominance.

The work conducted with the France-Asia Foundation enabled us to identify a set of common principles upon which Franco-Indian governance could be built.

II. Towards the adoption of a common grammar for trustworthy AI

This Franco-Indian cooperation could lead to the development and publication of a “common grammar for trustworthy AI,” intended to promote a shared foundation of core ethical principles governing the development and use of AI.

The White Paper identifies several fundamental ethical pillars upon which such a grammar could rest: non-discrimination and fairness; proportionality and responsible use; privacy protection and data governance; security and cyber resilience; transparency and explainability; human oversight and accountability; and sustainable and responsible innovation.

It is noteworthy that these dimensions reflect principles highlighted both in the 2024 Joint Declaration issued during President Macron’s State Visit and in the 2025 Franco-Indian Declaration on Artificial Intelligence. A grammar built upon these foundational principles would serve as a common reference framework designed to guide the responsible design and deployment of AI systems.

The advantage of such a system lies in its high degree of flexibility. It can be readily articulated with existing legal systems while remaining sufficiently adaptable to different levels of economic and technological development. Based on voluntary adherence by public and private actors, such a body of principles could establish a non-binding yet structuring framework, encouraging adoption through practical examples and demonstrated benefits.

The mobilization of the research community nevertheless remains essential to ensuring the effective technical implementation of these principles. The White Paper demonstrates that this process is already underway through concrete use cases in high-impact sectors.

In healthcare, France and India are in a position to translate trustworthy medical AI into clinical practice within the next twelve to thirty-six months. In the automotive sector, both countries are already collaborating on software-defined mobility, autonomous vehicles, and semiconductor sovereignty for AI applications.

The adoption of a common grammar for trustworthy AI is fully consistent with the Joint Declaration of 12 February 2025, adopted in the context of the AI Action Summit co-chaired by France and India, which announced the launch of a Franco-Indian roadmap for AI that is “safe, secure, open and trustworthy.” [7]

This Franco-Indian alliance cannot remain purely theoretical. It should be translated into tangible measures, foremost among them regulatory sandboxes.

III. Establishing joint regulatory sandboxes for experimentation

A shared governance framework could lead to the creation of joint AI regulatory sandboxes. Establishing such mechanisms would constitute a concrete first step toward greater international alignment.

This approach reflects a broader global trend. The EU AI Act requires Member States to establish at least one regulatory sandbox by 2 August 2026. India, in its 2025 White Paper Shaping the AI Sandbox Ecosystem for the Intelligent Age, advocates the creation of secure environments for agile experimentation. The United Kingdom has launched AI Growth Labs as cross-sectoral regulatory sandboxes, while Singapore introduced a Global AI Assurance Sandbox for generative AI applications in 2025.

A joint Franco-Indian sandbox would provide researchers and developers with a secure framework capable of supporting cross-border innovation.

Much like a flight simulator, these mechanisms would enable AI solutions to be tested within a controlled and secure environment, preventing risks rather than dealing with their consequences once systems are deployed on the market.

In the automotive sector, the White Paper [8] already proposes a concrete model: the “Setu-Pont” project, a Franco-Indian data corridor based on federated learning. This would allow French manufacturers to train algorithms using Indian road data while enabling Indian start-ups to access French synthetic datasets, all without compromising data sovereignty.

Such mechanisms would provide a shared framework for transnational experimentation, open to a broad range of public and private stakeholders, including researchers, and would facilitate joint testing aligned with the ethical principles set out in the proposed common grammar.

Conclusion

The current AI regulatory landscape is characterized by the absence of effective convergence mechanisms—a gap that Franco-Indian cooperation is particularly well positioned to address.

As emphasized in the France India AI Initiative White Paper, France and India should not merely follow the trajectory of artificial intelligence; they should shape it together through a partnership that is both strategic in vision and practical in implementation.

Together with the legal practitioners of the France-Asia Foundation, we engage daily with companies operating internationally.

Based on the practices we observe, such an alliance—grounded in shared principles, tangible pilot projects, and mechanisms enabling scalability—would provide a practical means of ensuring the implementation and observance of AI standards capable of being effectively applied and adapted by market actors worldwide.

The India AI Impact Summit provided an ideal platform to consolidate this momentum and launch the next phase of collective work.

[1] ] Regulation of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (“AI Act”) – Source.

[2] Despite an attempt to harmonise AI regulation at the federal level through the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (14110), adopted by the Biden Administration in 2023, this executive order was repealed in 2025 – Source.

[3] Horizon 2047 : Towards a century of India‑France relations – Source.

[4] France–India Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, adopted in Paris on 12 February 2025 – Source.

[5] PM-KISAN, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare of India – Source.

[6] Current AI, an international initiative launched at the Paris AI Action Summit in 2025  – Source.

[7] Joint Statement issued on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France – Source.

[8] White Paper Indo-French Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence by the France India AI Initiative, led by the Fondation France-Asie and the France India Foundation.

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Laurie-Anne Ancenys is a Partner at A&O Shearman and Head of the Tech & Data practice in the firm's Paris office. She is specialized in the fields of information technology and data protection law. She assists French and international blue chip clients with the digitalization of their activities, including in relation to strategic partnerships, cybersecurity
issues, data monetization and the launch of online tech products and services (including when based on the use of
AI) in a broad range of sectors. She has developed an expertise in the drafting and negotiation of complex IT
agreements, including in relation to M&A transactions.

Laurie-Anne also advises companies on data protection compliance issues - including data breaches, cyber
incidents, and tech/data contentious matters. She speaks at international conferences, conducts round table
discussions and regularly publishes expert articles in French and international publications. She also contributes to
the teaching of personal data law in the video game sector at the Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Laurie
Anne is a member of the Paris and Madrid Bars, and Solicitor in England and Wales. Laurie-Anne was nominated
Young Leader France China of the Fondation France-China Foundation cohort 2021.

Ahmed Baladi is a partner in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn. He is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Privacy, Cybersecurity,
and Data Innovation Practice Group and a member of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Transactions
Practice Groups.

Ahmed has developed renowned experience in a wide range of privacy matters including the implementation of
global privacy compliance and governance programs tailored to complex and evolving regulations. He assists
clients in navigating the intersection of privacy and other digital related regulations such as the AI Act, the DSA, the
Data Act, and the NIS Directive. His practice also focuses on strategic counseling for the development and launching
of data driven products and services. Ahmed regularly represents corporates and executives on investigations and
procedures before data protection authorities and courts. He also advises a variety of clients on data breach and
national security matters, including handling investigations, enforcement defense, and crisis management. He is
Young Leader 2016 France China of the Fondation France-Asie.

This publication reflects the views and opinions of the individual authors. As a platform dedicated to the sharing of information and ideas, our objective is to highlight a diversity of perspectives. Accordingly, the opinions expressed herein should not be interpreted as those of the Fondation France-Asie or its affiliates.