By 121 News
Chandigarh, July 30, 2026:- The Women's Forum for the Economy & Society (Publicis Groupe) will bring its flagship Global Meeting to India for the first time on 2–3 November 2026, as part of the 2026 France–India Year of Innovation. Organised in partnership with the Embassy of France in India and the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), the summit will convene global leaders to discuss innovation, technology and sustainable growth. For over 20 years, the Women's Forum has been a leading global platform for dialogue on business and society, making its first Global Meeting outside France a landmark moment that reflects India's growing global leadership in innovation.
Held under the theme "The Future of Prosperity: Women, Work and the Forces Reshaping our World," the summit will place India at the heart of the global dialogue on innovation and fairer prosperity, bringing together leaders from India, France and around the world to examine the transformative impact of AI, entrepreneurship, leadership and the future of work.
India's emergence as one of the world's fastest-growing major economies, coupled with its leadership in digital public infrastructure, entrepreneurship and technological innovation, makes it a natural destination for the Women's Forum's first Global Meeting outside France.
The Global Meeting will provide a platform for leaders from India, France and the international community to exchange ideas, share best practices and strengthen partnerships that advance innovation-led and fairer economies. Discussions will focus on the skills, policies, and innovations needed to thrive in an AI-driven future, while ensuring the benefits of technological progress are shared more broadly across society.
Nannette Lafond Dufour, President of the Women's Forum, said that economic growth, innovation and technological transitions will only fully create value if they enable everyone to participate in the opportunities they generate. Since its inception, the Women's Forum has championed gender equality not only as a matter of social justice but also as a powerful driver of innovation, competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.
Held as part of the France–India Year of Innovation, the summit will provide a platform for dialogue and collaboration between businesses, technology leaders, public institutions, academia and civil society. It forms part of the broader cooperation between France and India around innovation, sustainable development and more broadly shared economic prosperity.
Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said that 2026 has established innovation as a driving force of the Special Global Strategic Partnership between our two nations. But the prosperity of tomorrow can only be built on equality between women and men. This is precisely the challenge embodied in the theme chosen by the Women's Forum. The holding of its first meeting outside France, in Mumbai, illustrates the exceptional depth of our relationship.
Hosted in Mumbai, India's financial capital, the summit will serve as a platform to showcase impactful initiatives from India and across the world, strengthen cross-border collaboration and develop solutions to global challenges ranging from artificial intelligence and the future of work to climate resilience, demographic shifts and women's economic participation. The decision to bring the Women's Forum's first Global Meeting outside France to India reflects the country's growing influence as a global innovation powerhouse and a strategic partner in shaping the future of fairer prosperity.
