Emmanuel Macron’s India Visit to Reinforce Strategic Partnership, AI and Defence Cooperation

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Emmanuel Macron will visit India from February 17 to 19.
Talks will focus on AI, defence, innovation and global cooperation.
India and France to launch the Year of Innovation 2026 during the visit.

New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron will pay an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 to strengthen the Emmanuel Macron India visit agenda, reaffirming the deepening India–France Strategic Partnership and both countries’ shared commitment to strategic autonomy and multilateralism.

The visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and follows Modi’s 2025 trip to France, where the two leaders co-chaired the AI Impact Summit, underlining the growing trust and technological alignment between the two nations.

High-Level Bilateral Talks and AI Impact Summit

During his stay, President Macron will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi in Mumbai on February 17, with discussions scheduled at Lok Bhavan around 3:15 pm. According to an official statement, the leaders will review progress in the India–France Strategic Partnership and exchange views on key regional and global issues.

Macron will also participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India, reflecting the shared ambition of both countries to harness artificial intelligence for the common good. The French Embassy in India said the visit aims to translate strategic intent into concrete action in emerging technologies.

Launch of India–France Year of Innovation 2026

A major highlight of the visit will be the joint inauguration of the India–France Year of Innovation 2026 at around 5:15 pm on February 17. The initiative is a cross-sectoral platform designed to deepen collaboration in artificial intelligence, green technologies, digital transformation and advanced manufacturing.

Posting on social media platform X, the French Embassy said the initiative builds on long-standing cooperation in scientific research and innovation, bringing together start-ups, researchers, business leaders and policymakers from both nations.

Defence Cooperation and Rafale Fighter Jet Deal

Defence cooperation is expected to be a key pillar of the talks. India is moving forward with a multi-billion-dollar agreement to acquire 114 additional Rafale F4 fighter jets from France. Of these, 96 aircraft are proposed to be assembled at the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited facility in Nagpur, while 18 will be procured in fly-away condition.

The deal, cleared by the Defence Acquisition Committee chaired by Rajnath Singh, will now be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security. The total value of the agreement is estimated to be between ₹2.5 lakh crore and ₹3.25 lakh crore, making it one of India’s largest defence procurements.

Shared Vision in an Uncertain World

The French Embassy noted that in a rapidly changing global environment, Macron’s visit will reaffirm France and India’s mutual support for each other’s strategic autonomy and commitment to multilateral cooperation.

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India and France share a long-standing partnership spanning defence, civil nuclear energy, space cooperation, maritime security, climate action and Indo-Pacific engagement. The growing emphasis on technology and innovation reflects the evolving nature of this relationship.

Expanding Cooperation in Emerging Sectors

Macron’s participation in the AI Impact Summit and the launch of the Year of Innovation highlight the central role of emerging technologies in the India–France partnership. Both leaders are expected to stress innovation-driven growth, sustainable development and closer people-to-people and industry linkages.

This will be President Macron’s fourth visit to India and his first to Mumbai, marking another milestone in the steadily expanding strategic and technological ties between the two countries.

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