IFCCI Luxury Committee and Comité Colbert to sign landmark MoU advancing Indo-French collaboration in luxury, craft and culture

New Delhi [India], June 29: The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) today announced that the IFCCI Luxury Committee and Comité Colbert will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen Indo-French collaboration across luxury, craftsmanship, culture and the creative industries. 

The MoU will be formalised in Paris on 1^st July 2026 on the sidelines of India’s New Script on Luxury, Craft and Culture – a dedicated programme bringing together leaders from luxury maisons, cultural institutions, fashion, design, policymaking, investment and the artisan ecosystem from India and France.

The partnership marks the first such association by an international industry body focused specifically on the Indian luxury market, reflecting India’s growing role in the global luxury landscape.

Speaking about the upcoming milestone:

Bénédicte Epinay, President & CEO, Comité Colbert, said: “Comité Colbert was founded to promote, develop, and transmit French savoir-faire and creation. India, with its exceptional craft heritage, cultural depth, and rapidly evolving luxury landscape, is a natural partner for dialogue. Through this MoU with the IFCCI Luxury Committee, we hope to encourage mutual understanding, knowledge-sharing, and long-term engagement between French maisons and India’s creative ecosystem.”

Payal S. Kanwar, Director General, Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “India and France share a deep-rooted strategic partnership built over decades. This MoU with Comité Colbert reflects our shared ambition to create a structured and long-term platform for the luxury sector, bringing together policy, business, craftsmanship, and cultural exchange. At a time when confidence in India’s luxury market is stronger than ever, this partnership will help enable conversations and collaborations that strengthen Indo-French luxury relations in a meaningful, future-facing and impactful way.”

Srimoyi Bhattacharya, Chairperson, IFCCI Luxury Committee, said: “Luxury today is not only about products or markets; it is about excellence, experience, and the ability to create enduring cultural value. India’s luxury story is entering a powerful new chapter, shaped by a discerning consumer, expanding markets, extraordinary craft traditions, and a growing appetite for global dialogue. This partnership with Comité Colbert allows us to build a bridge between French savoir-faire and India’s creative and business energy, while opening new conversations around craft, culture, innovation and responsible growth.”

What Does This MoU Mean for Industry Stakeholders in France and India?

Under the MoU, the IFCCI Luxury Committee and Comité Colbert intend to collaborate on roundtables, symposiums, industry delegations, knowledge papers, policy dialogues and cultural exchange programmes. The partnership will encourage meaningful engagement between French maisons and Indian designers, artisans and creative leaders, while promoting a deeper understanding of India’s evolving luxury landscape and France’s legacy of savoir-faire.

Reflecting this spirit, the event in July will feature discussions on the Indian luxury market, retail infrastructure, evolving consumer behaviour, policy frameworks, craftsmanship, sustainability and the rising global voice of Indian couture. It will bring together representatives from fashion, beauty, design, retail, real estate, public policy and cultural institutions.

The MoU represents a shared ambition to create a long-term platform for Indo-French exchange in luxury — one that recognises India not only as a country with deep craft traditions, but also as a fast-growing market with creative excellence and an increasingly influential voice in the global luxury conversation.

Why Now?

As India emerges as one of the world’s most dynamic luxury markets, the partnership aims to move beyond market access and create a long-term platform for knowledge exchange, institutional engagement, market insight, craft collaboration and cultural dialogue. Anchored in shared values of heritage, craftsmanship, innovation, sustainability and cultural excellence, the collaboration will also support India’s growing capabilities in retail, design, skill development and the creative economy.

This momentum is reflected in a recent IFCCI survey of leading French, European and Indian designer-goods companies operating in India. All participating companies expressed a positive outlook on India’s market growth over the next five years. Most respondents indicated planned or ongoing investments in retail expansion, experience-led formats and skill development, while a strong majority expressed interest in structured collaboration around artisan partnerships, local engagement and capability building. The findings underline the relevance of a sustained Indo-French platform at a pivotal moment in India’s luxury evolution.

About IFCCI and IFCCI Luxury Committee

 The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) is one of the most active chambers within the global CCI France International network, which spans 125 chambers across 95 countries. It has seven offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Paris. IFCCI launched its Luxury Committee in November 2022. The committee brings together leading French and Indian luxury and premium brands. With the Indian luxury market expanding rapidly, the IFCCI Luxury Committee provides companies in this segment with a platform for knowledge-sharing, advocacy, dialogue, and the promotion of ideas.

About Comité Colbert

 Founded in 1954 by Jean-Jacques Guerlain, Comité Colbert brings together French luxury maisons, cultural institutions, and European luxury maisons. Its mission is to promote, sustainably develop, and transmit French savoir-faire and creation, while championing French art de vivre on the world stage.

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