Pakistan–France Relations: Latest, Timeline, Trade & Agreements

Latest development

Where Pakistan–France Relations Stand Now

Oct 2026

On the sidelines of the E3/R4 meeting in Istanbul, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, their second meeting in two months. (Embassy of France in Pakistan, MOFA Pakistan, joint press release)

France and Pakistan established diplomatic relations at the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947. Relations are organised around political, economic and security cooperation, set out since February 2023 in a Pakistan-France Roadmap for Bilateral Cooperation, and supported by four institutional mechanisms. Trade is tilted in Pakistan's favour, and French archaeologists have worked in Pakistan since 1958.

Overview

The Relationship by Theme

Diplomatic Engagement

7 Apr 2025: Deputy Secretary General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs David Bertolotti held bilateral consultations in Islamabad. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

Sep 2026: Jean-Noël Barrot met Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

23 Oct 2026: The two foreign ministers met again on the sidelines of the E3/R4 format meeting in Istanbul, which brought the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia together with those of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. (Embassy of France in Pakistan, MOFA Pakistan, joint press release)

Security & Defence

22 Sep 2026: The 8th round of the Pakistan-France Joint Security Commission met in Islamabad, led by Lt. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Ali, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Defence, and Nicolas Roche, Secretary General for Defence and National Security (SGDSN). Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in line with the 2023 Roadmap; the 7th round had been held in Paris in 2022. (MOFA Pakistan, joint press release)

Sep 2026: During the visit, Nicolas Roche was received by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of the Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

Multilateral Cooperation

14 Aug 2026: Pakistan-France Consultations on Multilateral Affairs were held in Paris, covering UN80, the 2030 Agenda, financing for development and coordination on peace and security at the United Nations. (MOFA Pakistan)

Trade & Development

2023: Pakistan's exports to France were US$1,411 million and France's exports to Pakistan US$279 million. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

Since 2007: The French Development Agency (AFD) has provided soft loans and assistance to Pakistan in several sectors. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

Culture & Heritage

Since 1958: The French Archaeological Mission in the Indus Basin has worked in Pakistan and discovered several historical sites in Balochistan and Sindh, including Mehrgarh. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

Today: Three Alliance Française centres operate in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

Institutional framework

Dialogue Mechanisms

Mechanism	Status
Bilateral Political Consultations	At Foreign Secretary level; 14 rounds held, the 14th in Paris in February 2023. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)
Joint Economic Commission	Ministerial; upgraded from the Administrative, Economic and Trade Committee. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)
Joint Security Commission	At Secretary level; 8th round in Islamabad on 22 September 2026. (MOFA Pakistan, joint press release)
Joint Staff Talks	Military-to-military; 11 rounds held by 2023. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

Legal base

Agreements & Frameworks

Year	Agreement
Feb 2023	Pakistan-France Roadmap for Bilateral Cooperation, covering political exchanges, the economy, science and education, defence and security, multilateral cooperation and climate change. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)
2011	Joint political statement, joint declaration on security cooperation and joint declaration on economic and trade partnership, signed during Prime Minister Gilani's visit to Paris. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

Timeline

Chronology

1947 to 2010 · Foundations

Relations date from Pakistan's independence, with archaeology among the earliest areas of cooperation.

1947

France and Pakistan established diplomatic relations at the time of Pakistan's independence. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

1958

French archaeological work in Pakistan began. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

2007

The French Development Agency began working in Pakistan. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

2011 to 2024 · Structured partnership

Three joint commissions, and later a Roadmap, gave the relationship a framework.

2011

Prime Minister Gilani's visit to Paris produced the three documents on which bilateral dialogue is based. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

Feb 2023

The Roadmap for Bilateral Cooperation was signed at the 14th round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Paris. (Embassy of Pakistan, Paris)

2025 to present · Renewed dialogue

Security, multilateral and ministerial contacts intensified.

7 Apr 2025

Bilateral consultations in Islamabad. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

14 Aug 2026

Consultations on Multilateral Affairs in Paris. (MOFA Pakistan)

22 Sep 2026

8th Joint Security Commission in Islamabad. (MOFA Pakistan, joint press release)

Sep and Oct 2026

Foreign ministers met in New York and Istanbul. (Embassy of France in Pakistan)

Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Pakistan and France establish diplomatic relations?

At the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, according to the French Embassy in Pakistan.

What is the Pakistan-France Roadmap?

A Roadmap for Bilateral Cooperation signed in Paris in February 2023 at the 14th round of Bilateral Political Consultations. It covers political, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, defence, security, multilateral and climate cooperation.

How large is Pakistan-France trade?

In 2023 Pakistan exported US$1.41 billion of goods to France and imported US$279 million, according to Pakistan's Embassy in Paris.

Sources & method

Sources & Methodology

Official records come first: Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its embassy pages, the partner government's own publications, and state news services. News reporting is cited only where no official text is published. Every entry links to its source. No Wikipedia.

Embassy of France in Pakistan · pk.diplomatie.gouv.fr
Embassy of Pakistan, Paris · mofa.gov.pk
MOFA Pakistan, joint press release · mofa.gov.pk
MOFA Pakistan · mofa.gov.pk
MOFA Pakistan, joint press release · mofa.gov.pk

How to cite: IPDS Centre for European Studies, “Pakistan–France Relations,” Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, last revised 5 November 2026, https://ipd.org.pk/research-publications/pakistan-france-relations-tracker/

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Pakistan–France Relations