NEW DELHI, Oct 6: The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFFCI) and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog have signed a statement of intent (SoI) SoI marking a significant milestone in promoting STEM education, digital literacy and innovation-driven learning through strategic collaborations with IFCCI’s extensive Indo-French corporate network.
The signing took place in the presence of Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India during the 3rd Edition of IFCCI CSR Connect Day 2025, held at the Embassy of France here under the theme-“Collaborating for Scale-Cross-Sectoral Partnerships for Sustainable Development.”
“The IFFCI CSR Connect Seminar at the Embassy of France has become a vital platform for strengthening Indo-French cooperation in social impact. Looking ahead, 2026 will mark an important milestone, with the Prime Minister of India and the President of France declaring it the India-France Year of Innovation,” said Thierry Mathou who also lauded the efforts of IFFCI in fostering impactful Indo-French partnerships for social development.
“This vision reaches beyond technology, embracing social progress as a key dimension of our bilateral relationship. In this context, I strongly encourage French and Indian businesses to view CSR as an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainability and community impact.” Mathou added.
The partnership aims to mobilize CSR and corporate support to strengthen infrastructure, enhance curriculum delivery, and enable deeper industry-school engagement through ATL programs.
Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, AIM, NITI Aayog, said, “From a small village school in the northernmost part of India to the southernmost tip, and from the west to the east, innovation is thriving in every district of the country. It is not just about numbers or scale, the real story lies in the quality and diversity of innovative solutions our students are creating.”
“AIM has already impacted over 11 million student entrepreneurs and is noted amongst the world’s largest grassroots innovation programs. The new partnership with IFCCI will further expand innovation-driven learning to many more students and young entrepreneurs across India.” Bagla added.
Representatives from IFCCI and AIM emphasized the importance of nurturing a culture of innovation from a young age.
The collaboration will focus on expanding access to technology-enabled education, promoting critical thinking and hands-on experimentation, and building capacity among teachers and students in government schools.
This joint initiative will identify and support government schools for ATL implementation and enhancement, provide teacher training, organize innovation challenges, and foster a sustainable ecosystem of learning and growth.
Payal S Kanwar, Director General of Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFFCI), said, ” This partnership is a step forward in empowering the youth of India with 21st-century skills. Through this alliance, we aim to bridge the gap between industry and education and make innovation accessible to every student, especially in underserved regions.”
More than 100 participants, including Indian and French corporate leaders, diplomats, government representatives, NGOs and other CSR stakeholders attended the ceremony.
(UNI)
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